18.3.20 Many talented Indian engineers and scientists are now residing abroad and they are engaged in a wide range of highly sophisticated technological activities. Some of them are working in institutions of excellence, sophisticated industries or in new and emerging areas of science. In the last decade many non-resident Indians (NRI) have shown interest in involving themselves actively in the industrial development of India. This interest is due to several factors in addition to desire to return to India. They have acquired a high degree of technological expertise, have an in-depth experience in matters closely related to industry and commerce and have also acquired sizeable resources. Thus, they would like to gainfully invest their skill and resources in their motherland.

18.3.21 The scientific manpower abroad has been often referred to as Brain Bank', from which India could gainfully draw for its own economic and technological development. Several studies have indicated the measures and mechanisms to facilitate a closer involvement of NRIs in Indian activities. Some of the new policies and measures announced by the Government, since July 1991, have emphasised the role of NRIs in promoting investments in India. This would lead to increasing the quality of our products and will enhance exports. Preparation of preliminary industry profiles on items of immediate interest to the Non-Resident Indians, incorporating general information on industry, technology, demands, measures and policies of the government and specific information about the product and market characteristics, would prove to be extremely helpful in setting up industrial units with the assistance of NRIs in the country.

(f) Promotion of Basic Research & Excellence

18.3.22 Creativity and innovation are the main ingredients for growth and development. Recognising these, the Scientific Policy Resolution emphasises the need for Promoting basic research in the country as one of its main objectives. Promotion of basic research involves besides financial inputs, many other factors.

18.3.23 In certain selected areas of research, all efforts should be made to identify a few educational institutions where talented students and faculty members could be attracted for pursuing well- planned advanced courses so that these institutions become the centres of excellence, for teaching and research. The selected centres of excellence should receive support, not only from the Ministry of Education and the UGC but also from S&T agencies.

18.3.24 The following approach is necessary for ensuring adequate mechanisms for supporting basic research:

(i) S&T agencies and high level committees of scientists should be given the special task

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of identifying outstanding individual scientists or small groups in different parts of the country. Such outstanding individuals/groups should be encouraged.

(ii) Efforts should be made to encourage industrial houses to support basic research in educational and other institutions.

(iii) International collaboration should be more effectively utilised to give our scientists the best opportunities to interact with the best of the international talents, undertake collaborative projects of mutual interest and enable the utilisation of the best research facilities in the world where our scientists could pursue their own research ideas and research programmes further which they have undertaken in their own institutions at home.

18.3.25 Dynamic functioning of academic and professional bodies in the country can greatly help in increasing critical assessments, which are important for quality, as also for the dissemination of research work within the country. Unfortunately, very few of our professional bodies and academies have been able to raise the standards of excellence of our publications to the international levels. During the last 5 years or so, increased support is being provided to the professional bodies for undertaking academic activities and this needs to be accelerated.

(g) Thrust, Prioritisation, and Areas of Special Significance

18.3.26 The Eighth Plan will have to deal broadly with four categories of programmes, each with its own distinctive features. These are:

(i) basic research in frontline areas;

(ii) innovative research in exploitable areas of S&T with emphasis on R&D activities in emerging technologies which provide us with an opportunity of securing a position for leadership and self-reliance;

(iii) diffusion of appropriate technology -and technology support for ancillaries of large units.

(iv) integration of S&T in socioeconomic and rural sectors to fulfil the basic needs of water, food, nutrition, health & sanitation, shelter, education, energy, clothing, employment etc.

18.3.27 Consistent with the above, the S&T should contribute to meeting the short-term and long-term needs in the priority socioeconomic sectors and also in keeping the country abreast with the latest advances in science and technology in at least some of the front-line areas of research. In view of these observations, the priority areas of S&T activity would be different for the S&T agencies, for the socioeconomic sectors and also for the States. While S&T agencies and academic institutions would primarily lay emphasis on programmes in categories (i) and (ii) listed above, the socioeconomic ministries and States would mainly concentrate on the last two categories.

18.3.28 As regards the S&T programmes for short-term needs, priority should be given to programmes that aim at expediting the diffusion of cost-effective technologies for products and services. These programmes will be based on available knowledge and known R&D results and will be integrated with different socio-economic sectoral programmes.

18.3.29 The programmes to meet long-term needs in exploitable areas of S&T should contribute to the preparedness of the country for the future and in meeting the developmental requirements. The changing scenario, nationally and internationally, on the economic and technological fronts, requires that investments be made in those areas of science and technology that are considered as critical determinants for such changes. Self-reliance in all aspects of national and economic security, including energy, food etc. would dictate the priority in such programmes.

18.3.30 The manner of utilisation of R&D results would call for strengthening of the S&T information system, forecasting and assessment networks, data bases for management of natural resources, structures for planning and analysis of socioeconomic aspects in the application of these technologies, training and awareness building, and actual implementation of strate-

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18.3.31 Coupling between R&D capabilities and fulfilment of socioeconomic needs has to be brought about through the innovation chain, which connects activities spanning research, development, design, demonstration, engineering, production and diffusion, leading to utilization of technology for production and services. Emphasis during the Eighth Plan should be on strengthening the various links in this innovation chain.

18.3.32 An important aspect to be pursued in the case of thrust areas is that of setting up national facilities in terms of highly sophisticated infrastructure, instrumentation, workshops and trained supporting manpower to be used by a large scientific community in view of the limited resources available.

(h) Science & Technology Manpower Development & Employment

18.3.33 It is well recognised that in all countries involved in social and economic development, there is a shift in the percentage of total population employed in agriculture, towards industry and services. With limitations on land and water, self-reliance and sufficiency in food, fodder and fuel can be obtained only through a substantial increase in productivity per unit of land area, with high efficiency in inputs, especially of fertilizers, agrochemicals and energy. Similarly, post-harvest treatments to avoid wastage, or contamination and to introduce processing, are all urgently needed. These call for major inputs of knowledge in S&T, special efforts in supply of high quality seeds and materials and monitoring of the quality of products. Animal productivity as well as fish and egg production can be markedly increased by S&T. Thus, S&T services in agriculture and rural industry should be specially encouraged as also in diagnostic evaluations, technical advice and the supply of vaccines, animal feeds and nutrients. This would call for a major demand on the S&T manpower.

18.3.34 These principles of inputs of high quality S&T apply to all infrastructures such as transport, communications, health, population control and nutrition. There are innumerable opportunities for the S&T services, backed by R&D and special equipment or material which can be manufactured in India. High efficiency and appropriateness must he the hallmark of these inputs and these should change with time. Training and retraining, using modern communication methods, should become essential to maintain progress. Thus, advances in R&D and their output in the areas such as electronics, new materials, computers, telecommunication, sensors, instruments, on-line analysis, diagnostics, biotechnology, genetic engineering and nutrition, when applied, will generate a large employment potential for the S&T personnel and would lead to upsurge in economic activity. This, in turn, will identify further areas for R&D and S&T inputs. Environment, ecology, recycling of resources such as water, are major needs and these call for S&T. Here again, substantial manpower can be deployed.

18.3.35 While a number of steps have been taken by the Government to increase employment opportunities, the number of scientists would fall far short of the rate at which S&T persons are needed in the country. Some of the strategies for the creation of jobs and for retaining S&T personnel are:

(i) Motivating S&T personnel to capture the full potential of self-employment;

(ii) Creating awareness about entrepreneurship leading to self-employment among the college and school students;

(iii) Introducing greater capital investment in the areas where the outlay per work place is minimal;

(iv) Restructuring government policies to minimize import of goods;

(v) Creating Entrepreneurship Development Cells in all science/engineering/IITs and other academic institutions by the concerned Central/State agencies;

(vi) Introducing automated techniques selectively from the viewpoint of safety, reduction of drudgery, improvements in productivity/efficiency, etc;

(vii) Examining export strategy to enable the country to pay for imports through exports and thereby simultaneously generating greater employment;

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(viii) Encouraging the establishment of sophis- ticated industries in the emerging areas of technology as also encouraging the service sectors requiring inputs from high technology so that highly trained S&T personnel could be retained and gainfully employed;

(ix) Maintaining centres of excellence in various branches of Science and Technology to retain highly trained persons within the country.

(x) Providing proper working atmosphere and adequate amenities (e.g. housing in urban areas) to S&T personnel.

(i) Disseminating Scientific Temper, Science Communication

18.3.36 Efforts and activities of various types, in the cause of propagation of scientific temper and S&T popularization, by a variety of agencies and institutions, have been and are underway in the country. Some of these are quite effective. They include both the "formal "/traditional sector like science museums, planetaria, exhibitions, coverage in the mass media etc., as well as the "non- formal"/non- traditional sector like work of the popular science movement groups, use of non-electronic, field media, jathas, science marches, environmental awareness camps, etc. There is a need to catalyse further the science communication activities in the States especially in the rural parts and tribal areas.

18.3.37 Several existing impediments and hurdles in the way of popularization of science on a large-scale need to be overcome. These include according validity to observations made and the data collected by common people and voluntary scientific groups, involving and draw- ing upon manpower and other resources available with the adult education departments and in creating enabling mechanisms for a large number of interested scientists, technologists and teachers who could be deputed to work with scientifically and technically-oriented voluntary organisatioins engaged in S&T communication and popularization activities. Also there is a need to increase the availability of proper reading material for the children and adults.

18.3.38 While the use of mass media in the dissemination of information cannot be underestimated, it definitely needs to be supplemented for better and more lasting effect. Furthermore, voluntary groups/agencies, which have established their credibility either through field work and activities in the area of S&T commu- nication, or otherwise, ought to be encouraged and assisted to take up innovative ideas as projects.

(j) International Cooperation

18.3.39 International linkages in S&T must be a means to assist in the implementation of national programmes, as well as to open up ave- nues for collaborative interaction, on the basis of mutuality, in the frontier areas, or in those sectors which lead to the acquisition of knowledge not available within the country. The overall modalities of cooperation should be such that they should ensure the enhancement of self reliance, and at the same time, avoid impingement upon considerations of security and sensitivity of the country. This window should also serve as a tool for sharing of India's experience and expertise in the S&T with the other developing nations.

18.3.40 India has arrangements for cooperation in science and technology with over 40 countries. The instruments of cooperation are mostly in the form of agreements/MOUs on a bilateral basis. This could involve Governments or Societies/Academies on the two sides. There are regional programmes with SAARC countries, programmes under India- EC Joint Commission and also S&T linkages with several countries under the umbrella of Technical Assistance Programme (TAP). Collaborative arrangements also exist with a number of international organizations including UNDP, UNESCO, UNIDO, WHO etc. Existing mechanisms of cooperation cover a wide spectrum of areas under various programmes and include exchange of scientists and research workers, training programmes for S&T personnel, joint research and R&D pro- grammes etc.

18.3.41 The policies and approaches for evolving effective international programmes in S&T must result in strengthening the national S&T endeavours; harmonising the external relations defined by the Government in the areas such as defence, industry/trade, finance, etc. Further,

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these must be in tune with the defined national priorities. Major effort should be on selecting such programmes and projects which are relevant to the development needs in the Plan; developing alternate models and approaches, which enable the implementation of foreign aided projects based on indigenous resources; ensuring multiplier impact and extension mechanisms and evolving appropriate mechanisms for review; coordination/linkages of the various foreign programmes and science agreements.

18.3.42 There is a clear need for making a critical evaluation of the usefulness of the existing S&T collaborations and delineating those which are truly meaningful. In many cases, institute-to- institute linkages on a long-term basis will serve us well in comparison with the routine broad-based umbrella arrangements between the agencies. Furthermore, the present cooperations are more in the science sector than in the technology sector. Linkages of the Indian industry with corporate R&D centres abroad, for instance, can go a long way in fostering the innovative R&D through a global effort.

(k) Development and Application of S&T in the States and Union Territories

18.3.43 A large part of the activities that affect large sections of the society, such as population control, agriculture, irrigation and water management, housing and construction, urban development, education, health, energy, employment etc. are carried out at the State level using local infrastructure and resources. To ensure that these activities derive maximum benefit from the application of S&T, appropriate institutional mechanisms which have been evolved, at the State level during the last two plan periods should be fully utilized. The details of the plan outlays and the expenditures for the S&T sectors in the States and Union Territories during the past three plan periods are given in Annexure 18.2.

18.3.44 The approach and policy framework envisaged for the development of S&T in States in the Eighth Plan are as follows:

(i) Long term S&T policy should be evolved and location-specific programmes in relation to the State's natural resources, skills and socioeconomic conditions should be taken into consideration.

(ii) The State Councils/Committees and State Departments of Science and Technology must be developed, nurtured and kept at par with the S&T organizations of the country. They should have adequate flexibility and operational freedom to establish their own professional secretariat. Linkages between them and the academic/research/ technical institutions, as also with the other developmental departments, should then be established.

(iii) There is a need for holding periodic meetings of the State S&T Councils so that the policies, programmes and the implementation strategies are approved by this apex body.

(iv) A strong mandate is necessary for the Central Scientific Agencies to liaise and work with the State S&T Councils/Departments on a regular basis and they must consider ways by which they can contribute to regional development programmes through the State Councils/Departments. Efforts should be made to initiate new scientific activities in the less developed, rural/tribal regions.

(v) The State S&T Councils must be actively involved in the implementation of National Technology Missions.