EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH, AUGUST 30
Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal has promised setting up of two centres of excellence, one for research in strategic areas and the other for research in nano-biotechnology at the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) at a total cost of Rs 50 crore. Chandigarh will be developed as a Centre of Nano Bio-technology, just as Bangalore is for Information Technology, Sibal said.
Sibal said one of his priorities is to get the annual expenditure on research and development increased from 0.7 per cent of the GDP to about 2 per cent. He also agreed to the suggestion pertaining to the integration of R&D institutes with universities for the advancement of technology at a greater pace.
The progress of any country is judged by the capabilities it has in science, and science is a discipline with no barriers, said Sibal. Addressing the scientists and staff of CSIO, Sibal stated that the country has made tremendous achievements in science but these are yet to percolate down for the benefit of the common man. We need to popularise our scientific achievements, he opined adding that in order to give a fillip to science and technology in the country, the Government of India has taken a major initiative by forming a separate ministry with a minister who has been given an independent charge of handling it.
Sibal further remarked that the future development of Indian economy is rightly in the hands of the scientists. To enable scientific organisations to grow and deliver, there cannot be any hierarchy. The bureaucracy should also not be allowed to interfere with science. Since the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, with its 38 constituent labs is autonomous in the real sense, it is able to develop cutting edge technologies, he said. Sibal also mooted the proposal that the CSIR system start awarding its own degrees as it would be a great brand name and help students along with the CSIR system.