Liberal, rational funding needed for development of cutting-edge tech: Jitendra Singh


PTI | New Delhi | Updated: 27-10-2021 19:52 IST | Created: 27-10-2021 19:52 IST
Liberal, rational funding needed for development of cutting-edge tech: Jitendra Singh
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Calling for bridging the ''trust deficit'' between academia and industry, Union minister Jitendra Singh underlined the need for liberal and rational funding for development of cutting-edge technologies.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Singh said an institutionalised mechanism will be evolved to make academia and industry essential stakeholders in scientific innovation.

He was addressing the Academia Sub-Committee of the CSIR Society here.

Singh informed that he had recently addressed the meeting of representatives of prominent industry houses who are members of the CSIR Society for developing stronger CSIR-Industry linkages.

''This congregation of the leading academic experts from the country present in the meeting should deliberate on how the academia, industry and government can work together to foster innovation and catalyse entrepreneurship in the country,'' he said.

The minister said the three stakeholders in the triple helix model of innovation i.e. industry, universities and government have a vital role in stimulating socio-economic development in the country through knowledge generation, invention and innovation.

The recent reforms in drone usage or liberalisation of policies governing the acquisition and production of geo-spatial data reaffirms the commitment to innovation, he said.

The investment and commitment to new age technologies such as cyber physical systems and quantum computing show the government's resolve to foster an innovation ecosystem, the minister added.

Singh said the report of reorientation of CSIR led by Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India Prof K VijayaRaghavan could be used as a reference to formulate public-private partnerships (PPPs) and innovation parks that allow universities, CSIR and industry to partner together.

This, he said, allows flexibility and agility to deliver the innovation and technologies for the sustainable development of the country in the next 25 years to make India a leading scientific power in the world, when it celebrates 100 years of Independence.

Singh said the CSIR, being the largest government funded organization with a strong IP portfolio, can strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Universities and this partnership will not only benefit the Universities and CSIR but also catalyse the industry by bringing in new inventions and innovations that can fuel the growth. He said 108 units of the Medical grade Oxygen (MO2) concentrator systems developed by CSIR-IIP technology based on the Advanced PVSA Technology were installed with funding from PM CARES and executed by the CSIR in a very short time.

He called upon the CSIR to come up with suitable models of engagement such as innovation parks where, on one hand it will leverage the excellent fundamental research of universities and national institutions and on the other strengthen the industries in technology translation and dissemination.

This will promote interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research and development stimulating the innovation quotient, he added.

He also noted with satisfaction that the CSIR has taken up many clinical trials in partnership with industry and AYUSH.

Singh also lauded the recent effort of CSIR in addressing the issues relating to mitigation of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 where the technology has been installed in Parliament.

The minister urged that this should be taken up in a big way in partnership with industry and MSMEs and others as disposal of the PPE waste is a huge challenge and fulfilling the commitment to Waste to Wealth mandate of the government should be a high priority.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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