Former Prime Minister of India - Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee

PM's speech at CSIR Society Meeting

~I would like to begin by congratulating CSIR for the excellent progress it has made during its diamond jubilee year. I recall that during last year’s Society meeting, I had said three things:

a. I would like to see CSIR become a real technology powerhouse;

b. It should continue to make a greater contribution to nation building.

c. It should earn a higher reputation globally.

I am happy to see that CSIR is moving in the right direction to make that happen.

One sign of the global recognition is that advanced countries recognize the novelty of Indian innovations by granting them patent rights in their own country. CSIR today is getting that global recognition due to its aggressive intellectual property policy.

At the last meeting of the Society, I had congratulated CSIR on its securing the second ranking as per the Patent Cooperation Treaty. I had also exhorted it to strive to achieve the number one position soon.

I am happy to note that CSIR has done India proud by attaining the number one position in 2002. CSIR has been granted 145 US patents, almost 40% of the total patents granted to India.

My hearty congratulations!

Today I wish to make two points. This year CSIR shares the number one ranking with a Korean multinational firm. Next year, I want CSIR to be the undisputed first ranker.

Secondly, I would like patent filing to become a part of the industrial culture in our country. I am rather disappointed to see that very few Indian firms file patents. The Indian industry needs to be strong in patenting in order to win the competitive battles in the emerging knowledge-based economy.

I would like CSIR to work actively with the Indian industry to strengthen our country’s IPR profile.

It is becoming more and more clear that India can achieve a leadership position in technology only by fostering a strong public-private partnership. The New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Programme that we launched in 2000 was a step in that direction.

I am happy to hear that more than 50 private sector companies and 120 public institutions have been working together in a ‘Team India’ fashion to create India’s largest knowledge network. Last month, the Cabinet has formally approved this programme for the 10th Plan with an investment from the Government of Rs. 205 crore.

We have offered very soft loan conditions to the private sector. I hope our industry will take full advantage of this initiative by the Government.

We have also gone ahead in other specific areas, where public-private partnership can make a difference. My friends in the pharma industry had been a little impatient with the Government for a delay in implementing the Mashelkar Committee recommendations on R & D in the pharma sector.

I am happy to say today that we have included in this year’s Budget an allocation of Rs. 150 crore for the Department of Science and Technology to mount this programme. I hope this will help our pharma industry in sustaining its competitive advantage.

Indeed, we are going beyond merely providing funding. The pharma industry has been accorded the same benefits and facilities afforded to the IT industry.

CSIR, DBT and DST have also dovetailed their schemes and competencies to give a technological edge to our pharma industry. We are thus going all out to promote and support the pharma industry to emerge as a global player.

The Finance Minister this year has assigned to the CSIR the task of developing such networking in another area of great importance to us -- namely energy, especially solar, wind and hydrogen-based energy by making a special allocation of Rs.20 crore.

India’s energy security will crucially depend upon such initiatives. I would like to see the CSIR leverage its seed allocation of Rs.20 crore with other resources to take up daring technological innovations.

All of us are concerned about the declining interest in science as a career amongst our youth. I have been urging that some effective schemes be drawn to nurture young persons to take up R&D as a career.

must thank Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi for directing CSIR to evolve and mount a path-setting Diamond Jubilee Research Interns Awards Scheme that seeks to tap and develop local scientific talent for R & D.

We must continue to implement more such initiatives.

CSIR must reach out to the young. I understand that each CSIR laboratory is seeking to ‘adopt’ a school and a college in its catchment area to bring in the much-needed ‘excellence and excitement’ in science. I would strongly urge CSIR to take advantage of its nationwide presence from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to fire the imagination of the young.

I have noted with appreciation CSIR’s initiatives to kindle the spirit of inventiveness amongst our school children through the ‘Young Innovators’ Awards’. With changing demography in the world, India has a unique advantage of being a relatively young nation. If the spirit of innovation is stirred among the youth, then this Indian Yuvashakti will undoubtedly make an enormous contribution to nation building.

As CSIR fans out to diverse sections of our society. I would urge it to use its vantage position in the emerging India knowledge society to extend a helping hand to the other sectors of the Indian economy to face the challenges ahead.

I would especially point to the small-scale sector of the industry which is passing through a difficult phase and which may become even more difficult in the coming months.

Finally, I want to express my happiness that after a gap of 20 years, we have launched the Science and Technology Policy – 2003 at the Indian Science Congress in Bangalore. The Scientific Policy Resolution of 1958 and the Technology Policy Statement of 1983 were the two policy pronouncements that inspired and guided the nation’s programmes and initiatives in S&T.

The new policy integrates both Science and Technology in a symbiotic and holistic manner. This policy heralds us in the future realm of science and technology with our feet firmly rooted in our rich culture and heritage.

Of course, formulating a policy is not enough. It needs to be quickly and carefully implemented. We must speedily move forward to put together necessary instruments and mechanisms for its implementation.

I conclude by extending my best wishes to CSIR for a productive and rewarding year ahead.

Thank you.~