The scheme has numerous objectives aimed at upliftment of socio-economic conditions of people in various states through application of Science & Technology.

The objectives of the Programme are:

• To establish and support state councils for S&T to act as focal points in the States and Union Territories for planning, guiding, evaluating, monitoring, coordinating and in general spreading science and technology activities at state level.

• To support organization of meetings/workshop on specialized S&T topics of relevance to States/Union Territories.

• To provide assistance for carrying our studies/surveys of specific interest to the State/Union Territories.

• To assist states in identifying science and technology program for development of weaker sections of the society.

• To support location specific research and technology development programs.

• To assist in undertaking Science & Technology demonstration projects in states.

DST effort, though catalytic, had served a very important purpose of establishing state S&T structures and bringing up these structures to assume the role of a prime mover in planning and implementing S&T activities. State S&T Councils and DST are now initiating programmes where resources and technologies are being pooled together to have visible impact.

The focus is on systematic identification of location specific problems and their solution through S&T inputs. Efforts are made to demonstrate successful projects of one State S&T Council in other States with suitable modifications. The successful projects of Central S&T Agencies are also encouraged for demonstration.