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Title: Minister of Sciences & Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences laid a statement regarding status of implementation of the recommendations contained in one hundred eightieth Report of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests on Demands for Grants (2007-08), pertaining to the Department of Scientified and Industrial, Research (DSIR), Ministry of Sceince and Technology.
THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI KAPIL SIBAL): Sir, I beg to lay the statement about the status of implementation on the actions taken by the Government on One hundred eightieth Report on the recommendations contained in the One hundred seventy first Report of Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests. This report relates to the consideration of the Demands for Grants of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) for the year 2007-08. The Committee reviewed the progress made by DSIR during the reporting period and considered the Demands for Grants (2007-08) in detail.
The Committee, while reviewing the working and considering the detailed Demands for Grants of DSIR, analyzed the Demands for Grants with reference to the aims, objectives and achievements of the Department and presented the 171st Report thereon to the House on the 26th April 2007. The Department has furnished a detailed Action Taken Note on these recommendations to the Committee in May 2007.1 have made a statement in the house on 23rd November 2007 in this regard. The Committee has made further comments on Action Taken Report vide 180th Report which was presented to both the Houses of Parliament on 27th November 2007. The report contains fifteen recommendations which are both advisory and appreciative. Significant ones mainly relate to:
* Laid on the Table and also placed in Library See No. LT 8202/2008
• making efforts to spend funds which have been allocated and taking due care to make proposal which could be practically implemented within the time frame set up by the Department;
• popularization and dissemination of new technologies;
• encouragement to individual innovators by way of providing increased support;
• technological upgradation of cottage industries and other such industries falling in the unorganized sector;
• making efforts to encourage the start-up companies and monitoring their growth trajectories so as to improve and encourage the culture of entrepreneurship in the country;
• dissemination of information regarding commercializing of indigenous technologies and inventions in order to create market for such technologies;
• carrying out proper groundwork before making a demand for allocation in order to escape the embarrassing situation of not being able to spend money it initially demanded for its projects;
• appreciation of the decision of the Department to break its various programmes being run by National Laboratories under sub-divisions: Supra Institutional Projects, Network Projects, Inter-Agency projects and Facilities which would be helpful in developing core-competencies and bringing in professional focus;
• recognition of the need of monetary incentives to attract young talent to research field;
• appreciating the idea of pro-active and planned patenting; and
• satisfaction of the Committee over the benefits arising from NMITLI scheme to both Department and the industrial partner.
All the fifteen recommendations of the Committee on the Action Taken Note have been considered in the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research. The current status on the action taken is detailed in the appended Annexure.