Chennai, Oct 12 (PTI) Union minister Harsh Vardhan todayurged members of the country's scientific community to beconnected with their counterparts in other parts of the worldand not continue working in silos.
Delivering the inaugural address at the third edition offour-day India International Science Festival here, the Unionminister for science and technology, and earth sciences said,"I ask, request and appeal to the scientific community to notwork in silos."Asserting that science and technology can help thecountry in a big way, he said, "I very proudly say that in thelast couple of years, the focus of our government, moreparticularly of our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), on sciencehas increased tremendously.""In terms of budgetary allocation, it (science andtechnology) saw almost 60 per cent hike," Vardhan said.
"Our scientists have given great strength, greatknowledge, great innovations. But probably the country wasworking in silos. Scientists were working in silos, thelaboratories were working in silos, science teachers wereworking in silos," he said.
"Our collaboration should be of a level that if you dosomething in your laboratory, it should be immediatelyconnected with all other people who are doing same thing notonly in India but all across the world," the minister said.
Noting that science festival is an occasion to rejoicethe success of science, Vardhan said India has collaborationsin with at least 44 countries in the field of science andtechnology.
"I think it gives us further stimulus to work hard and toensure that we are able to use science as a big movement toresolve issues," he said, adding after green and whiterevolutions, India was witnessing "innovation revolution".
"We will help every young man with bright ideas, whowants to convert it into an innovative programme and help thecountry stand on his own feet. This is where the scientificcommunity of India has a role to play," Vardhan said. PTI VIJSSNSD.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.