The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : State in the process of drafting a new science and technology policy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

State in the process of drafting a new science and technology policy

Priscilla Jebaraj

Energy, health and environment major focus areas

Vision Council in the process of collecting proposals and ideas
It will also promote scientific management of natural resources

CHENNAI: After more than two decades, during which science and technology have seen vast changes, Tamil Nadu is in the process of drafting a new policy to reflect those changes. The State council responsible for the task has constituted a Vision Council to create a first draft for the new science and technology policy, which will be released next year. The Vision Council is currently in the process of collecting proposals and ideas to be included in the new policy, according to S. Vincent, member secretary of the Tamil Nadu Council for Science and Technology.

Around 60 persons, mostly vice-chancellors, eminent professors and educational policymakers, have been consulted so far, with another 40 on the list. Next, the council will throw a wider net, sounding out politicians, non-governmental organisations and even the media for their opinions. The Vision Council will consolidate the collected ideas and opinions to create the initial draft by May 2009, says Dr. Vincent. The Higher Education Department will then form a committee to evaluate the draft and make final changes before the government releases the new policy.

The council, formed after a nationwide brainstorming session of States’ Science and Technology Ministers in May 2008 in Delhi, is chaired by Higher Education secretary K. Ganesan. The other members include Anna University - Chennai Vice-Chancellor P. Mannar Jawahar, representing technical research and education and Madurai Kamaraj University Vice-Chancellor R. Karpaga Kumaravel, representing science and humanities.

The Department of Science and Technology advisor Lakshman Prasad will represent the Centre, AMM Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre Director S. Seshadri will represent non-governmental participation in science and technology-based development, and Dr. Vincent.

The council, which has a three year term, may also co-opt experts and officials and form specialised sub-committees, if necessary.

The policy is expected to outline ways in which science and technology interventions can improve the economic development of the State and develop strategies to generate scientific manpower.

The major focus areas will be energy, health, agriculture and environment, according to Dr. Vincent. Both emerging and developed technologies will be used in the strategic interventions.

The policy will also promote scientific management of the State’s natural resources.

Apart from scripting the draft policy, the Vision Council will be responsible for envisioning the State’s scientific requirements in the long term, for the period between 2010 and 2025. In the short term, it will prepare a practical development action plan to implement the objectives of the new policy.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu