Science and Technology Ministers' call for greater synergy to rectify regional imbalances

New Delhi, May 12: Science and Technology Ministers of various states met here today for a brainstorming session convened by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Presiding over the event, Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Kapil Sibal, called for a greater synergy between the centre and the state in the areas of science and technology so that the existing technologies could be used to meet the aspirations of the people and the new technologies can be developed through public-private partnerships to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Acknowledging that every state has different eco-system within which the government has to prioritize its developmental needs, Sibal urged the State Governments to come forward to seek solutions for their problems to rectify the enormous regional imbalances.

Stating that knowledge is the new form of asset which can grow only through excellence, Sibal called upon the State Governments to compete with each other to set up centres of learning through public-private partnerships.

The meeting was attended by ministers of nine states which included Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi was represented by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Senior science and technology officials representing 26 States and Union Territories also participated in the meeting.

The Secretaries of Ministries of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. M.K. Bhan (DBT), Prof. S.K. Brahmachari (CSIR) and Dr. T. Ramasami (DST) made presentations on potential areas for cooperation with the State Governments, following which the Ministers and representatives of State Governments expressed their views.

The meeting concluded with the following resolutions:

1. Coordination mechanisms need to be strengthened

2. A state specific S and T based development action plan to be funded by the Centre

3. Science, Technology and Innovation council by strengthening the performing S and T councils under triangular Center-state- private partnerships to be established by providing seed money

4. States to form vision council within 30 days

5. Joint initiatives of CSIR-DBT to expand its network in North East

6. Human resource to be developed. Teacher training program to be initiated

7. Working models to be developed under mentoring model

8. Mapping of large cities for urban planning to be undertaken

9. Geospatial Technology product to be applied

10. Science ministers to meet annually


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