Latest news with #S&T
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
NITI Aayog wants states to enhance funding to S&T
NITI Aayog has proposed that states provide adequate financial resources to science and technology (S&T) councils, up to 0.5% of the gross state domestic product (GSDP), and also restructure their governing bodies to drive innovation and technology-led growth. Besides, it has called for a comprehensive blend of structural reforms, capacity-building efforts, and strategic partnerships to enhance the effectiveness and responsiveness of these councils. In a report titled 'A Roadmap for Strengthening State S&T Council' released on Thursday, the Aayog said that these councils must explore wider funding opportunities available with different departments of the central government for activities related to the overall mandate. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Articles Vally Undo 'State governments should provide adequate financial resources to the councils to enable them to carry out the regular activities effectively and to initiate new activities in advanced and emerging areas of S&T,' it said. It also recommended that the governing body of the councils must be slightly restructured and expanded so as to make it more capable of taking informed policy decisions and strategic planning. Live Events 'The governing council may continue to be chaired by the chief minister or the S&T minister of the state, as the case may be; however, it must be expanded to include more expertise,' it said. The think tank suggested that the councils should also explore establishing linkages with industry bodies, PSUs, and other possible support agencies in the state for attracting support and financial resources for different activities. 'Such linkages will indirectly help promote university-industry interaction in different activities of the councils,' it said. While noting that the councils should have a core manpower strength to drive the major activities of the councils in an effective and accountable manner, the Aayog said all such positions should be fully supported by the state government, ensuring financial stability and commitment. It pointed out that while some states have leveraged S&T institutions to drive innovation and technology-led growth, others face several challenges related to fragmented mandates, irregular funding flows, and weak institutional capacities. Many councils are constrained by non-regularised manpower, absence of performance-linked incentives, and limited autonomy in decision-making, impeding long-term planning and execution, it said. The state S&T councils, with their limited resources, have made a significant contribution in supporting patent facilitation, remote sensing applications and GI mapping, grassroots innovation, science popularisation, and capacity-building programmes. In recent years, India's R&D ecosystem has witnessed expansion in absolute terms, with gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) increasing from Rs 60,196.75 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 1,27,380.96 crore in 2020-21. India's R&D funding structure is still largely government-driven. State S&T councils operate within a shared national framework, but their capacities and priorities are shaped by the regional requirements of the state, resources available to them, and institutional support they have available to them.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Govt has limitations, private sector should step in to fund R&D: Jitendra Singh
New Delhi, Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday made a strong pitch for a greater role for the private sector in funding research initiatives, contending that the government has its limitations and should be a facilitator. Govt has limitations, private sector should step in to fund R&D: Jitendra Singh Singh was speaking at a function to release a NITI Aayog report on 'Roadmap for Strengthening State S&T Councils'. The report said that about 67 per cent of India's research publications are contributed by 450 centrally-funded institutions. "We need to have a change in mindset. The question is not 67 per cent centrally funded or why not equally state funded. I would be unorthodox. Why at all 100 per cent Centre or State," Singh said, making a case for private sector participation. "If you are thinking of a global role for yourself, most of the successful scientific ventures across the world do not depend on the government," Singh said. The minister said that there was a need to integrate the private sector as much as possible, and cited the recently established Anusandhan National Research Foundation to provide high-level strategic directions for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the fields of science. "The government has its limitations, it can be funding everything for your research. It has to look after other things as well," Singh said. The report stated that the State S&T Councils, though functioning within a shared national model framework, demonstrate significant heterogeneity in their governance models, funding structures, manpower capacities and programmatic focus. "While some states have leveraged S&T institutions to drive innovation and technology-led growth, others face several challenges related to fragmented mandates, irregular funding flows, and weak institutional capacities," the report said. It said that many councils are constrained by non-regularised manpower, absence of performance-linked incentives and limited autonomy in decision-making, impeding long-term planning and execution. The report called for a comprehensive blend of structural reforms, capacity-building efforts and strategic partnerships to enhance the effectiveness and responsiveness of these councils. Key issues addressed include inadequate financial resources and diversification, lack of state-specific S&T need mapping, weak institutional substructures, limited collaboration with industry and academia, fragmented R&D support, underutilisation of STI data, insufficient recognition of scientific talent and weak interlinkages with central agencies and other institutions. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
State govts must provide adequate funds to Science & Tech Councils: NITI Report
New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) State governments should provide adequate financial resources to Science & Technology (S&T) Councils, and slightly restructure their governing bodies to drive innovation and technology-led growth, NITI Aayog said on Thursday. In a report titled 'A Roadmap for Strengthening State S&T Council', the Aayog said that these councils must explore wider funding opportunities available with different departments of the central government for activities related to the overall mandate. "State governments should provide adequate financial resources to the councils to enable them to carry out the regular activities effectively and to initiate new activities in advanced and emerging areas of S&T," it said. The government think tank emphasised that it would be desirable that each state allocates at least 0.5 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) on S&T. It also recommended that the governing body of the councils must be slightly restructured and expanded so as to make it more capable of taking informed policy decisions and strategic planning. "The Governing Council may continue to be chaired by the Chief Minister or the S&T Minister of the state, as the case may be; however, it must be expanded to include more expertise," it said. The think tank suggested that the councils should also explore establishing linkages with industry bodies, PSUs, and other possible support agencies in the state for attracting support and financial resources for different activities. "Such linkages will indirectly help promote university-industry interaction in different activities of the councils," it said. While noting that the councils should have a core manpower strength to drive the major activities of the councils in an effective and accountable manner, the Aayog said all such positions should be fully supported by the state government, ensuring financial stability and commitment. It pointed out that while some states have leveraged S&T institutions to drive innovation and technology-led growth, others face several challenges related to fragmented mandates, irregular funding flows, and weak institutional capacities. Many councils are constrained by non-regularised manpower, absence of performance-linked incentives, and limited autonomy in decision-making, impeding long-term planning and execution, it said. The State S&T Councils, with their limited resources, have made a significant contribution in supporting patent facilitation, remote sensing applications and GI mapping, grassroots innovation, science popularisation, and capacity-building programmes. In recent years, India's R&D ecosystem has witnessed expansion in absolute terms, with Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) increasing from ₹ 60,196.75 crore in 2010-11 to ₹ 1,27,380.96 crore in 2020-21. It is noteworthy that India's R&D funding structure is still largely government-driven.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Science
- Hans India
Strengthening state Science & Tech Councils key to resilient, self-reliant Viksit Bharat: Niti Aayog
New Delhi: Strengthening the Science and Technology (S&T) Councils in states is pivotal to building a resilient and self-reliant Viksit Bharat, said Niti Aayog in a report on Thursday. State S&T Councils play a crucial role in bridging the gap between scientific innovation and socio-economic development, especially in areas like agriculture, renewable energy, disaster management, and local entrepreneurship at the regional level. These have also made significant contributions to supporting patent facilitation, remote sensing applications, and GI mapping, grassroots innovation, science popularisation and capacity-building programmes. The report titled "Roadmap for Strengthening State S&T Councils", based on extensive consultations, a national workshop, and multi-stakeholder engagement facilitated by the NITI Aayog, captures the structural gaps, opportunities. It also called for robust coordination among ministries, state governments, funding bodies, academic and research institutions, and industry partners. 'The integrated approach will play a foundational role in achieving India's long-term strategic objectives, such as a resilient, and self-reliant Viksit Bharat, where science and innovation are central to societal progress, economic prosperity, and national strength,' said the report, authored by Members of the (Science & Technology), NITI Aayog, including Dr. V. K. Saraswat. The report also attempts to identify major challenges faced by the State S&T Councils and underscores a critical shift from isolated, ad-hoc initiatives to a forward-looking ecosystem. Key issues addressed include inadequate financial resources and diversification, lack of state-specific S&T need mapping, weak institutional substructures, limited collaboration with industry and academia, fragmented R&D support, underutilisation of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) data, insufficient recognition of scientific talent, weak interlinkages with central agencies and other institutions. The report thus represents not merely a set of reforms but a pivotal opportunity that can help shape India's future in the global research, development, and innovation landscape. It can also help position India as a leader in Science and Technology, through a collective approach. 'If executed well, the Roadmap has the potential to transform State S&T Councils into high-impact, innovation-driven engines of growth. It will not only bolster their administrative and technical capacities but also create a fertile ground for emerging industries, technological self-reliance, and knowledge-based economic development of the state," the report said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
State governments must provide adequate funds to science & tech councils: NITI Report
State governments should provide adequate financial resources to Science & Technology (S&T) Councils, and slightly restructure their governing bodies to drive innovation and technology-led growth NITI Aayog said on a report titled 'A Roadmap for Strengthening State S&T Council', the Aayog said that these councils must explore wider funding opportunities available with different departments of the central government for activities related to the overall mandate."State governments should provide adequate financial resources to the councils to enable them to carry out the regular activities effectively and to initiate new activities in advanced and emerging areas of S&T," it government think tank emphasised that it would be desirable that each state allocates at least 0.5 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) on S& also recommended that the governing body of the councils must be slightly restructured and expanded so as to make it more capable of taking informed policy decisions and strategic planning."The Governing Council may continue to be chaired by the Chief Minister or the Sundefined however, it must be expanded to include more expertise," it think tank suggested that the councils should also explore establishing linkages with industry bodies, PSUs, and other possible support agencies in the state for attracting support and financial resources for different activities."Such linkages will indirectly help promote university-industry interaction in different activities of the councils," it noting that the councils should have a core manpower strength to drive the major activities of the councils in an effective and accountable manner, the Aayog said all such positions should be fully supported by the state government, ensuring financial stability and pointed out that while some states have leveraged S&T institutions to drive innovation and technology-led growth, others face several challenges related to fragmented mandates, irregular funding flows, and weak institutional councils are constrained by non-regularised manpower, absence of performance-linked incentives, and limited autonomy in decision-making, impeding long-term planning and execution, it State S&T Councils, with their limited resources, have made a significant contribution in supporting patent facilitation, remote sensing applications and GI mapping, grassroots innovation, science popularisation, and capacity-building recent years, India's R&D ecosystem has witnessed expansion in absolute terms, with Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) increasing from Rs 60,196.75 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 1,27,380.96 crore in is noteworthy that India's R&D funding structure is still largely S&T Councils operate within a shared national framework, but their capacities and priorities are shaped by the regional requirements of the state, resources available to them, and institutional support they have available to them.
