SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Preamble 18.1.1 Science and Technology (S&T) has made a phenomenal impact the world over in shaping the lifestyle of the common man. If India has to really forge ahead in the coming decade, S&T must play a pivotal role in all the important tasks that lie ahead of us. Hence, the deployment of S&T as an effective instrument of growth and change becomes an imperative strategy. In order to derive maximum output from meagre resources, S&T and the associated methodology must be brought into the main theme of economic planning in the agricultural, industrial and services sectors. In this exercise, we are endeavouring not only to plan for S&T but also for integrating S&T in the economic planning.
18.1.2 Globalisation of business and of R&D are noteworthy developments. Meaningful partnerships on the international plane in the areas of mutual global interests are on the anvil. The S&T strategies will have to be suitably moulded to meet these realities.
18.1.3 Some of the old problems remain. This decade will pose further new challenges. The resource crunch, the balance of payment position and the shortage of foreign exchange are hard realities. Liberalisation in technology transfer and trade has been intensified. Resources such as energy, are in severe shortage. The increasing unemployment and continuing poverty constitute a threatening scenario. Improving living conditions of our population, especially in the rural areas, is a challenge demanding greater attention. These are national priorities which would make increasing demands on the S&T inputs in planning. Thus, S&T activities can no longer remain peripheral to our economic planning.
18.1.4 How then to produce more from less? There are ways through which it may be possible to achieve this. Conservation measures in every single endeavour, ranging from conservation of energy to conservation of forests have to be given a high priority. Indeed, conservation of everything from "oil to soil" should be the direction in which S&T will have to steer our action plans. Consolidation of existing position in different sectors through in-depth reviews and purposeful modernisation of the manufacturing industry for higher quality and productivity acquire significance. Commitment to excellence in everything we do has to become an essential ingredient if our endeavours have to yield results commensurate with our needs. Quality improvement in our products and related efforts Would increase the demand for S&T, not only in conceits and design but right through production, testing, packaging, transportation of goods and post-sale activities. These would, in turn, create greater employment opportunities. Above all, it is imperative that we spread the culture of scientific processes amongst the entire population before the end of this century. Such a spread is essential to increase the quality of life.
18.1.5 Some of the ideas briefly outlined above provide the motivation and the basis for the S&T programmes of the Eighth Plan described in the following sections.
Policy Framework And Approach 18.2.1 The changing global and national scenario is bound to make greater demands on S&T. Our policy framework and approach to S&T planning has to be geared to face this demand. Science and Technology would also have to encompass major strategies towards agricultural and industrial development and this has to take into account the overall objectives of the new industrial and trade policies, besides the changing international situation. The Government policy framework will continue to encompass encouragement of entrepreneurship, develop- ment of indigenous technology through investment in R&D, bringing in new technology etc.
18.2.2 There has been a significant growth in our capability as also our accomplishments in several high technology areas such as nuclear and space science and technology, electronics and defence research and development. Many new programmes and initiatives are envisaged
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in these, so as to ensure (i) growth in these strategic and vital sectors; (ii) operationalisation of projects or programmes that have been successfully demonstrated; (iii) transfer of technology to other sectors, particularly in the broader production sector. There have also been significant developments and achievements in S&T related to the sectors with large societal implications such as in agriculture. Efforts have been mounted for developing newly emerging key areas e.g. microelectronics, informatics/telematics, biotechnology, new materials, renewable energy sources, ocean sciences and several areas of basic research. A large base has been created in the areas of biological and industrial research which will be consolidated, expanded and utilized. Consistent with this need for capability building, there has been a corresponding increase in the Government S&T expenditure excluding Defence in the successive Plan periods as shown in Annexure 18. 1. Annexure 18.2 gives the outlay and expenditure, during the Seventh plan, for the various components of the S&T sector. It will be seen that the total S&T outlay forms about 2.26% of the total public sector outlay. The S&T expenditure has steadily increased and reached a level of 1. 12 % of GNP at the end of the Seventh Plan. There has been a tendency to regard science and technology as a separate and compartmentalised activity, to be carried out in universities, in research laboratories and in large specialised scientific institutions. It is not generally realised that science and technology should be an integral and essential part of all sectors of our national activity. The results of S&T are yet to be felt in terms of a major impact on the economic development, improvement in the quality of life of our people and in the availability of better goods and services etc. During the coming years it should be ensured that the efforts in science and technology are not confined in laboratories and academic institutions but percolate to the grassroot levels so that science, technology and innovations increasingly become part of the life of our people. For this, appropriate mechanisms and management practices would need to be introduced.
Policy 18.3.1 In order to maximise returns from the investments in science and technology, it is necessary that policies covering S&T, industry, finance and agriculture must be meaningfully intermeshed. The recent Industrial Policy has reserved only very few industries for the public sector, reduced the sectors where industrial licensing was earlier necessary, liberalised the procedures relating to technology acquisition and investment, removed the restrictions on large companies and redefined the goals of the public sector undertakings. For this, the technology development must take place in a competitive environment and the policy for industrial research and development should be appropriately reoriented. In the formulation of future policy for the industrial R & D, the spirit and guidelines of the New Industrial Policy must be followed. In consonance with the agricultural policy, the S&T inputs must be able to provide the ever- increasing food requirements of our growing population. The S&T agencies would be directed not only to develop capabilities in their specialised areas but also to interact with the various developmental sectors, industries, institutions set up by the farmers and those providing services to promote the utilisation of their expertise. National laboratories/ centres under the S&T agencies should make their facilities available to the scientists from the agricultural and industries sectors and provide services to the university system and evolve collaborative programmes with them. The socioeconomic sectors/ Ministries and States, therefore, must lay a greater emphasis on the S&T content in their programmes and place their crucial demands on the S&T agencies.
18.3.2 The following paragraphs highlight the importance of some of the activities planned:
(a) Science and Technology for accruing benefits to people 18.3.3 Priority must be given to utilising S&T in enhancing the pattern of utilisation of all our resources including the natural resources so that large sections of our society could ultimately benefit from the applications of S&T. Efficient management of land , water, and energy resources through S&T would result in significant benefits to the people.
18.3.4 The large infrastructure of S&T has a potential of contributing significantly towards the removal of poverty. For this purpose, the establishment of appropriate "Problem Referral and Data/ Information Network", consisting of linked units from the village through district and State to the national level is essential. This
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would help in optimising the S&T resource utilisation and in sharing the experiences. The existing Government programmes for poverty alleviation will have to utilise the S&T inputs significantly. Development models based on optimising the total employment at the local level, based on all available resources, should be prepared. The S&T sector must develop innovative and cost effective techniques and technologies for the storage and processing of, and value addition to, the local resources in the decentralised sector. National level S&T efforts should devote a part of the manpower and budgetary resources directly on the R&D efforts related to measures for alleviation of poverty.
18.3.5 The strategy for using S&T inputs should be based on total integration of the various components of the related policies. For this, the involvement and participation of the target groups and also of the voluntary organizations would be very essential. There is a need for taking up specific activities for the benefit of the different target groups in the society who have so far been denied the benefit of S&T, for example the weaker sections, tribal population and women. It would be the endeavour of the scientific agencies and departments to direct specific programmes, wherever possible, so that these target groups derive maximum benefit. Mechanisms should be devised and implemented to facilitate trained and skilled personnel from the science departments and scientific organisations to actually work in these sectors of our* society (rural, tribal areas etc.) and involve them in micro-level planning, relevant to their needs. The trained persons must develop means to get a proper feed-back from weaker sections regarding their problems. Specific programmes must be worked out to ensure that these sections and particularly the women are benefitted so that better working conditions, improved environment and better employment opportunities are created to improve their economic status, besides health care, nutrition, pre-natal and post- natal care for the women and children. New areas of research and technological development to improve the quality of these sections are to be identified in water management, sericulture, post-harvest technology and food processing and implemented. Scientific agencies and departments must give adequate facilities and freedom, recognition and rewards to young women scientists and encourage them more and more to pursue science as a career. The large potential of retired scientists should be effectively utilised for the integrated rural and tribal development programmes and in the related S&T activities.
(b) Integration of S&T in the socio-economic sectors 18.3.6 Science and technology must use innovative approaches and new technologies in such a way that it becomes an integral part of all sectors of national activity and particularly of the major socio- economic sectors, such as agriculture, chemicals, coal, construction, education, employment, various sectors of engineering, energy production and its use, fertilisers, health, population control, rural development and communication. It is necessary for every one concerned with the socio-economic Ministries to draw out a perspective plan for the next 10-15 years with clear objectives and targets and then identify specific science and technology inputs required to achieve them. For this purpose, it would be necessary to start 'think tanks" in the form of a Science and Technology Advisory Committees (STAC) in different sectors. These committees should not merely clear a few R&D proposals but should plan an overall S&T perspective for that sector. Proper status should be given to these Advisory Committees. For example, the Committee should be able to report to the concerned Minister directly. Clear- cut demands must be put forward by them on the existing S&T sector, including the educational and research institutions, in the, form of time-bound, need-based projects. There should also be an interactive mechanism to ensure that these demands are fulfilled. Some of the arrangements for this may have to be formalised in the form of contracts. The linkage between the S&T infrastructure and the economic ministries must be strengthened so that the use of S&T becomes inevitable. The user economic Ministries should earmark their S&T budgets and must accept responsibility for an effective use of S&T in their sectors, not merely in terms of expenditure but in terms of their full utilisation. The system should also encourage the academic community and the S&T agencies to take up challenging tasks to tackle socioeconomic problems which would be assigned to them by the economic ministries.
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(c) Technology Missions 18.3.7 The implementation of National Technology Missions and science and technology projects in a mission mode, for evolving new management structures with much closer linkages between, and better interaction and coordination of, many departments/ agencies, and ensuring large scale, time-bound tangible application of S&T, is important. Accordingly, a few more projects on a selective basis should be taken up in important sectors of the economy.
(d) Research and Development in Industry 18.3.8 Since independence, considerable effort has been made to build a strong base for industrial and technological development in the country. Substantial investments have been made over the last four decades in building R&D institutions in the country to meet the requirements of the industry. The support to the industry for establishing a strong R&D base was given by providing incentives through tax concessions of various types. However, the industry has not responded adequately to make substantial investment on R&D for their own utilisation and instead has gone for the import of technology to meet their growing demand.
18.3.9. Significant inputs of S&T are needed in various socio- economic sectors, with R&D carried out and promoted in the concerned industry. The absence of design and engineering capabilities, the lack of linkages with and the demand from the production system, continued foreign assistance in basic engineering activities/product design and consultancy etc. have been the main constraints in the promotion of indigenous technology.
18.3.10 Mobility of scientists and technologists between the academic institutions, Government laboratories and industry has been emphasised repeatedly but it still largely remains unfulfilled. There are many barriers in promoting mobility and those arising from wrong administrative approaches and cadre structures can be, rectified with, minor modifications in procedure.
18.3.11 For the industries, the absorption and application of science and technology is inevitable. Therefore, industrial enterprises must be encouraged to support rapid absorption of technologies and their adaptation to suit varying needs of the Indian environment. This will lead to gradual introduction in the market of new or modified products that can secure their share in the world markets.
18.3.12 Industrial infrastructure specially in older industries needs to be improved quickly by revamping and modernisation. Modernisation will have to he given priority over new investments. Textiles, jute, sugar, leather, mining, plantation crops, processed export food and spices etc. require modernisation and substantial S&T inputs.
18.3.13 While individual industries should continue to pursue their competitive roles, they should also form consortia, as and when neces- sary, to capitalise on their collective strength to ensure synergism and develop a team of small vendors around them.
18.3.14 The possibility of joint management of few educational programmes by the industry should be explored to facilitate the orientation of the educational sector to promote industrial growth.
18.3.15 There have been numerous achievements at the level of the national laboratories. However, these achievements have not been commercialised because of the absence of design and engineering capabilities and lack of linkages with the production system. Our national S&T institutions will., therefore, have to play an increasing role in moulding the technology and adapting and interfacing it with the existing systems. A judicious mix of the indigenous and imported technology would be necessary. The Indian industry needs a technological thrust for modernisation so that it achieves self-reli- ance. This would imply a much greater emphasis on innovation through in house research and development by the industry. Major efforts are required to ensure that the technology status of the local units is brought to the level of international standards so that its products are of international standards. Thus, we must ensure that quality products are produced for internal consumption as well as for export.
19.3.16 During the Eighth Plan a major thrust would be made on supporting and strengthening the pilot plant investigations and activities in the industry. For this, major investments should be expected from the industry through soft loans.
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Venture capital/risk financing companies have a crucial role to play in this endeavour. Similarly, the establishment of independent pilot plant centres as a cooperative venture of several connected industries would also be a possible option. Also, a few design centres should be established with the Government support and through incentives provided by the industries.
18.3.17 There is a lot of production technology in use in the small scale and village industry sector, which provides significant and gainful employment and helps decentralised operations. Such industries with their technologies must be nurtured and supported.
(e) Science and Technology Education 18.3.18 The National Policy on Education (NPE) has been reviewed recently and a programme of education in the Eighth Plan is being sharpened. The Eighth Plan must recognise that there can be no excellence in science and technology without excellence in the S&T education. A significant portion of our support for science, therefore, must go to educational institutions. More importantly, adequate investment should be made for S&T related activities in the educational institutions so that these could contribute to their maximum to national development.
18.3.19 In the absence of adequate information on manpower requirement, it would be difficult to indicate in reliable terms the technical manpower requirement. The establishment of Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) is an important development. Besides, the evaluation of the existing technology and the preparation of technology forecast, it could also include manpower forecasting.