Government is committed to boost R&D in science: PM

03 Jan 2012 Evaluate

In the wake of India’s declining position in the world of science, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is mulling to increase spending on Research and Development activities as a percentage of the GDP to 2% by the end of the 12th Plan period. Presently, India’s spending on R&D is minimal at about 0.9% of GDP of which one-fourth is from private sector.

Whilst speaking at the 99th Indian National Science Congress at Bhubaneswar PM said, 'Government is committed to boost research and development in science. We must aim to increase the total R and D spending as a percentage of GDP to at least two per cent by the end of the XII Plan Period from the current level of about one per cent. This can only be achieved if industry, which contributes about one-third of the total R and D expenditure today, increases its contribution significantly. I sincerely believe that Public Sector Undertakings, particularly those in the energy sector should also play a major role in this expansion.'

Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Union science and technology and earth sciences minister too had emphasized on the issue and affirmed that India was lagging behind on applied sciences. 'China publishes five times more patents than India for every billion US dollars of GDP,' he said.

Of late India’s position had been declining and in order to upkeep the momentum country must increase spending on R&D activities along with increase in public private partnership research activities. Countries like China have overtaken India in this field which is a matter of concern and India has to gear up and maintain the pace.

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