Soon, country’s scientists will be doing their bit by developing technologies to exclusively facilitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet projects such as Swachchh Bharat, Swasth Bharat, Skill India, Smart Cities, Digital India and Namami Ganga, just to say a few.
Union Minister of Science and Technology Harshvardhan cited the example of ‘Swachchh Bharat Mission’, saying, scientists could work on toilets, which are not only eco-friendly but also cheap. This can help in the Mission. Similarly, he said the Government is also working on having a solar train for which research is being initiated.
The Ministry has also decided that various labs under the Centre for Science and Industrial Research (CSIR) will devise ways to develop industry driven technologies, including game-changing technologies, said an official from the Ministry.
CSIR laboratories, known to be premier research institutes in the country, are spread across the country that carry out research in diverse areas ranging from leather to oceanic studies. The technology developed in the laboratories is later passed on to the industry.
Each laboratory would also develop at least one technology in strategic sector for India.
This was the part of the Dehradun Declaration adopted at the end of two-day conference of CSIR Directors held at CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum in Dehradun on Saturday.
The brainstorming session was a first of its kind, wherein scientists of over 38 laboratories under the CSIR participated and gave presentations and presented long-term and short-term plans at the conference, to help set out the “national priorities” as per its needs.
Harsh Vardhan also exhorted the scientists to be a catalytic agent to evolve India into Samarth Bharat-Sashakt Bharat.
“The Minister said that a revenue model is to be developed in businesslike manner with clear input-output cost analysis. Emphasis will be laid to achieve global standards and to build confidence in society about relevance of CSIR labs in terms of social benefit,” said the official.
He said that the labs will endeavour to build up entrepreneurship in small, medium and big industries while the CSIR should focus on developing technologies for improving quality of life of the common man.