By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said India has not been able to make an impact in science on a world scale commensurate with its large scientific manpower pool.
Addressing the 70th Foundation Day celebrations here of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the prime minister said the council will need to devote itself to these national challenges in the years to come.
“We have not been able to make an impact on a world scale commensurate with our large scientific manpower pool. It (CSIR) will have to take up national leadership in science, engineering and technology,” he said.
Lauding the work of CSIR, Manmohan Singh said: “The council has proven its professional worth in every phase of India’s growth in line with prevailing national policies and national priorities.”
“In the early days of Independence, it was a champion of import substitution, rebuilding our industrial base in the face of shortages and resource crunch. When India became a victim of technology denial, CSIR laboratories created advanced products and technologies,” he said.
“As a nation, we have not succeeded in mobilising enough private investment into science to raise our investment in scientific research to 2 percent of the GDP. We need to recognise that that excellence has not percolated across all our research and academic institutions,” he said.
He asked young scientists to dream big and not to despair.
The function was attended by Science and Technology Minister Vyalar Ravi and a number of scientists.