NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants scientists to focus on applied research to fulfill the requirements of socio-economic priorities in fields of health, water and sanitation and they should keep a judicious balance between applied science and fundamental research while taking up research projects.
In a meeting chaired by prime minister on issues related to science and technology and attended by heads of all scientific departments under the central government, he asked the science laboratories to channelize their resources to address issues relating to common man and work on areas that help in providing solutions to problems faced by masses.
“Country needs more of Applied Science Research to fulfill the requirements of socio-economic priorities. Therefore, scientific departments should keep a judicious balance between applied and fundamental research,” said the minutes of the meeting circulated to all scientific departments.
During the meeting, the prime minister also called upon focusing on indigenously developed technologies and that the industrial units may be actively involved for showcasing these technologies and also allowing them to bid for commercial exploitation of the same.
A suggestion as also made for preferential market access to indigenously developed products and technologies and NITI Aayog has been asked to examine the proposal and come out with its recommendations by October end.
PM has also directed that science department should fix certain big targets and milestones to be achieved in the field of Science and Technology by the year 2022, the 75th year of Independence.
“Many a times, we take up new projects, the relevance and appropriateness of the location is not taken into account. The Scientific department should be conscious of such relevance, usefulness to the society and overall national interests while formulating projects and deciding on their locations,” the minutes further said.
Asking for scientific department to work in tandem with the developmental ministries and government agencies to support and provide technological solutions to their problems, the PM emphasized to all ministries and government agencies to change the thinking and orientation for adapting to new technologies, while implementing projects.