Vasudev K. Aatre, former head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, has stressed the need to enhance budgetary allocation for academic-oriented research and development from the present 1 per cent to at least 4 per cent to 6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. He was speaking after receiving the honorary degree of Doctor of Science at the annual convocation of Visvesvaraya Technological University here on Saturday.
However, Mr. Atre also wondered whether even a 4 per cent allocation could be useful considering the infrastructure available in the country. Dr. Aatre said, “Today, India wants to be a world power. But a country can be a world power if it becomes an economic power. The country can become an economic power if it becomes a knowledge power and the knowledge fundamentally depends on science and technology.”
He said one of the main challenges before the nation was to provide water and food to millions as well as to preserve the environment for the future generations. Governor and Chancellor of the university Vajubhai R. Vala, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, P. Shyama Raju, Chancellor of Reva University, who also received a honorary doctorate, and VTU Vice-Chancellor H. Maheshappa were present.
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