Newdelhi:21`/7/21:Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said Science and Technology are key to achieve Prime Minister Modi’s, Atmanirbhar Bharat. He said, the confidence of self-reliance will percolate down to the next generation and will help in attracting the best brains in the field of Science and Technology. Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking after releasing a Review Committee Report on International S&T Cooperation prepared under the leadership of Dr. Anil Kakodkar, former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission of India.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that very soon, a new exercise will be initiated to hold brainstorming of each of the Ministries and Departments of Govt of India with the Ministry of Science & Technology, Ministry of Earth Science, and CSIR. He recalled that over five years back, on the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an extensive brain-storming exercise was held in the national capital wherein representatives from different Ministries and Departments were engaged in an intense interaction with scientists from ISRO and Department of Space in order to work out how best space technology could be utilized as a modern tool for supplementing, improving and expediting infrastructural development as well as the implementation of various welfare schemes. Following this, he said, space technology is now being used in diverse sectors including Railways, Roads and Bridges, Medical management/telemedicine, procurement of timely Utilization Certificates, disaster forecast, and management, etc.
Dr. Anil Kakodkar, in his address, said India has a long track record of International Cooperation in Science and Technology. He said, cooperative and competitive spirit go together in such kind of cooperation which has multiple benefits.
Secretary, DST, Professor Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary DBT, Smt. Renu Swarup, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. M. Rajeevan, DG, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR, Shri Shekhar Mande, and other senior officers of the Ministry took part in the meeting.