The Hindu : CM assures industry of support for promotion of R&D

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 02, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

CM assures industry of support for promotion of R&D

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD April 1. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, reassured industry of the State Government's commitment to promote and support research and development in several areas, including some of the `futuristic technologies' like nanotechnology. He said he would also take up the issue of R&D funding with the Government of India.

Mr. Naidu's assurance came during the interactive session of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Session on "Cooperation for Competitiveness: The Path for Growth and Societal Excellence'', here on Tuesday.

Responding to a suggestion by a CII member, Mr. Naidu said the State Government is prepared to promote R&D and had in fact created a R&D fund of Rs.10 crores which is intended to serve as `seed money.' A committee is also being set up under Mr. Gopalakrishna.

Mr. Naidu said the proposed Institute of Life Sciences is also thinking of taking up nanotechnology. It is being debated if pharma should also form part of Life Sciences or if there should be a separate institute for pharma. These formed part of the ongoing debate on the `model and shape' the institute should ultimately take, he said.

Listing out some of the initiatives, he said the Government is already funding e-governance development under IIIT, and the International School of Business (ISB) is also another good model. The objective is to turn out 100 PhDs from the IIIT by 2010, he said. He also agreed that there is a need to promote an Entrepreneurship Development Programme.

Mr. Naidu was all praise for the CII's role in helping the State to attract investments. The State wanted to promote biotechnology, tourism, and provide world class infrastructure. Initiatives have been taken to reduce procedural delays, simplify clearances, and regular meetings were held to sort out the problems of industrialists, he said.

The Minister for Major Industries, K.Vidyadher Rao, spoke on Government initiatives to help industry grow like creation of infrastructure, changes in labour laws, greater focus on R&D, and steps to ensure greater turnout of engineers and technicians. Mr. Rao also presented the CII awards on the occasion.

The Best Productivity Award went to Legend Drugs and Formulations, Best New Product Development award to Salzgitter Hydraulics, Best Export Award to Meera & Ceiko Pumps, and the Best Entrepreneur and Best All Round Performance Award to Turbomachinery Engineering (T.Subbarayudu, Managing Director, Best Entrepreneur).

K. Anji Reddy, Chairman, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, said work undertaken by the Non-Governmental Organisation Naandi (started by corporates) was a successful model of private-public partnership. Naandi has undertaken the mid-day meal scheme for two lakh children in the State.

M.V. Subbaiah, Executive Chairman of EID Parry (India), K. Raghavendra Rao, Managing Director of Orchid Pharmaceuticals, and K. Satish Reddy, new Chairman of CII, AP, B.V.R.Mohan Reddy, outgoing Chairman, CII, AP, spoke.

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