India Must Spend 2% of GDP on R&D: Indian Prime Minister
The 99th Annual Session of the Indian Science Congress was inaugurated on 3rd January, 2012, at Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
More than 15,000 delegates, including scientists and students, participate in the five day event (Jan 3-7) event held at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT University). The theme of the conference was "Science and Technology for Inclusive Innovation - Role of Women”. The event had technical sessions, plenary sessions, vision talks, panel discussions, public lectures, a 'Pride of India' expo and other programmes. Besides the emphasis on women and children, the other issue in focus at the Congress was missiles. India's premier military weapons developer, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), displayed models of various missile versions, the
Agni,
Prithvi,
Nag,
Akash,
BrahMos and
Astra missiles.
Inaugurating the event, the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan
Singh has said that the country must aim to increase the total R&D spending as a
percentage of GDP to at least 2 per cent by the end of the twelth five year plan period from
the current level of about 1 per cent. This can only be achieved if industry,
which contributes about one-third of the total R&D expenditure today,
increases its contribution significantly. He said, “I sincerely believe that
Public Sector Undertakings, particularly those in the energy sector should also
play a major role in this expansion”.
To pay tribute to India's great scientist M. S. Ramanujan, the year 2012 will be
celebrated as the Year of Mathematics, the Prime Minister declared.
Inaugurating the Congress, the Prime Minister said that India has to increase public
private partnerships and catalyse significantly increased interaction between
publicly owned Science and Technology institutions and industry. In some
ways it is ironic that General Electric and Motorola have created world-class
technology hubs in India, while our own industry has not done so, except
the pharmaceutical sector, he cautioned. What the country needed, therefore , is to look at ways of
incentivising private Research and Development investment under the Indian
conditions, the Prime Minister added.
The Prime minister informed that a proposal is under consideration to build
national capacity and capability in supercomputing which will be implemented by
the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, at an estimated cost of Rs. 5000
crore.
The prime Minister said that over the last few years, the number of scientific
publications by Indian scientists working in India has increased at more than
12% per annum against the global average of 4%. India has moved from the 15th
rank in 2003 to the 9th rank in 2010 with respect to the number of publications
in peer-valued journals. He informed about the National Innovation Council’s
proposal to set up an India Inclusive Innovation Fund that will drive and
catalyse enterprise, entrepreneurship, and venture capital, while targeting
solutions for the bottom of the national pyramid.
Congratulating Dr. Geetha Bali, General President of 99th Indian Science
Congress, Dr. Manmohan Singh said, the role of Science and Technology for
inclusive innovation with special reference to the role of women, was the theme
for the Congress. He reminded about the commitment of his Government to
give a boost to the science and technology sector in the country, for which
several steps towards had been taken.
The Prime Minister said that while research generates new knowledge, there is need
for innovation to use this knowledge creatively and productively for social
benefit. A step in this direction is the Government's decision to declare 2010-20 as the “Decade of Innovations”. He cautioned against any complacency to give practical meaning to innovation, so that it does not end up being
just a buzz word.
He said, it is important that the country explores and rejuvenates traditional knowledge
systems found all over the country in areas such as agriculture, architecture,
handicrafts and textiles. One need go no further than the tribal communities of
the Kharia, Santhals, Gonds and Kolhas who live in the deep forest areas of
Mayurbhanj and have a reservoir of knowledge on medicinal usage of locally
available plants.
The Prime minister gave away awards to the eminent persons in the field of
development of science and technology.
On the occasion, besides other dignatories present, the Union
Minister of Science and Technology, Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Minister of
State for Science and Technology, Shri Ashwani Kumar were present. An
exhibition of scientific innovations and models was also organized. Around
15 Nobel Laureates and noted speakers from various countries and India are
attended the Congress.
India
as a Major Player in Science World Scene Before 2017 End:
Vilasrao Deshmukh
During the Congress, the Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences,
Vilasrao Deshmukh, said that the host city Bhubaneswar had a long history since Cheddi dynasty. It was only
befitting that the UNESCO – Kalinga prize for
Science popularization instituted by Biju Patnaik 60 years ago is being
celebrated in Bhubaneshwar, and welcomed the distinguished delegates to the
Science congress and diamond jubilee of UNESCO Kalinga prize.
He quoted the First Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who had said,“The
future belongs to science and those who make friends with science”.
World has come to realize that science, technology and innovation would impact
the future societies and make friends with science. Nations invest
significantly into science. Exponential advances in science and technology have
triggered intensive social transformations.
Tracing India's experiment with science and technology, he said that at the time of Independence, India had inherited a shattered economy. The life
expectancy at birth was less than 30. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, revealed faith
in scientific research for solving problems of the poor and the country. He
invested into R&D establishments when India was poor. Today, infant
mortality rate has gone down to almost half of what it was sixty years ago;
average life expectancy has more than doubled. He appreciated these returns from
investments made in science sector earlier for the benefit of the people.
Science and our scientists have delivered solutions whenever challenged by national problems, he said. Highlights of his speech follows:
- We solved the problem of food shortage through green revolution and milk
shortage through white revolution.
-
We look at tomorrow from where we stand today. We notice that world is turning
into a large and connected village. Globalization has moved science, technology
and innovation and dynamics of knowledge production to the center stage of
development. Social contract of science is much more evident today than ever
before.
-
Investment into R&D will be increased from present level of less than 1% to
2% of the GDP. Emerging Asian economies are increasing their R&D
investments markedly.
- China files five times more patents than India per
billion dollars of GDP. The private sector engagement and investment are essential
for gaining from the R&D outputs through their commercialization.
-
India need big ideas in science, new methods in governance of R&D systems, proper investment in resources, fulfilment of aspiration to emerge as world leader in science
and dedication to serve the people of India through the tools of technology and
affordable innovations.
-
Our science and technology policy was enunciated in 2003. We need a new and
well enunciated Science, Technology and Innovation policy. It should promote an
innovation ecosystem that addresses the national priority for inclusive and
sustained growth. My Ministry will dedicate to the Nation such a well balanced
policy soon. To make sensible use of the bio-technological tools and techniques
for the benefit of our people, we are establishing a transparent and
evidence-based regulatory system.
-
There is need for paradigm shift in our present mindsets of developing “policy for
science’ to developing “science policy for people”. Current Indian policies
treat the R&D sector in segregated compartments. A change in the policy
paradigm for treating the entire R&D sector in the country as one and
developing PPPs for R&D to promote public and social good are important new
strategies. R&D outputs should be converted into measurable economic and social
outcomes.
Connecting to the theme of “The role our women in inclusive Innovation”, the minister asked,
"What will propel the Indian women to be at the vanguard of National
development?" He said, at present the education and social awareness encourage women to accept
different careers. Women-in-science is a conscious developmental paradigm. "I
chair a task force for enhancing the role of women in Indian science. The task
force in engaged in ensuring that more and more innovation leaders emerge from
among our women".
That gender relations and innovation are constantly changing in their own
spheres is well known. We should connect them through both policy and
programmes, he said.
He said that his ministries are working hard to enable the Indian science, technology and
innovation system deliver what the nation and people of the country expect.
This is the period of positive developments in Indian science.
He pointed out several new programmes started. The Ministry of Earth Sciences is
launching a Monsoon Mission. An Earthquake study through deep-borehole investigation
in Koyna-Warna area of Maharashtra is also being initiated. A North East Centre
for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) is being established at Shillong
by the Department of Science & Technology. Research on Himalayan Glaciology
is also being strengthened. CSIR is setting up a series of Innovation Complexes
with world class facilities for undertaking translational research in
partnership with Industry, R&D Institutions and Universities. The first
three of them will be positioned at Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
Current Indian policies treat the R&D sector in segregated compartments. A
change in the policy paradigm for treating the entire R&D sector in the
country as one and developing PPPs for R&D to promote public and social
good are important new strategies. R&D outputs should be converted into
measurable economic and social outcomes.
Connecting to the Congress theme of “The role our women in inclusive Innovation”, he said that
presently 60% of all graduates across Asia, America and Europe are women. They are
well educated. Indian women are hardwired to not only understand but also apply
economic principles even better than men. Harnessing the power of talented
women “will pave the way for future of generations”.
The minister thanked the Prime Minister, Dr.Manmohan Singh for unprecedented support to Science, Technology and
Innovation , and the Planning Commission in formulating the 12th Five Year Plan, and assured the
country that India will emerge as a major player in the science world before
the end of 2017.” (Source:PIB.03.01.2012).
