Why did two Nobel laureates say PM Modi has better approach to science and tech?

Why did two Nobel laureates say PM Modi has better approach to science and tech?

By Chennabasaveshwar P

Published:January 5 2019, 4:00 [IST]

New Delhi, Jan 4: Two Nobel laureates who held a brief informal meeting with PM Narendra Modi after the inauguration of 106th Indian Science Congress in Phagwara, hailed Indian Prime Minister's understanding the importance of science for a country's development and vision for its promotion.

In an exclusive interview to Indian Express, Nobel laureate Israeli biochemist Avram Hershko, said, "Unlike US president Donald Trump, who thinks science and research is waste of money, Modi does not think that way. That is what I gauged after meeting him today."

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Why did two Nobel laureates say PM Modi has better approach to science and tech?

By Chennabasaveshwar P

Published:January 5 2019, 4:00 [IST]

New Delhi, Jan 4: Two Nobel laureates who held a brief informal meeting with PM Narendra Modi after the inauguration of 106th Indian Science Congress in Phagwara, hailed Indian Prime Minister's understanding the importance of science for a country's development and vision for its promotion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File photo

In an exclusive interview to Indian Express, Nobel laureate Israeli biochemist Avram Hershko, said, "Unlike US president Donald Trump, who thinks science and research is waste of money, Modi does not think that way. That is what I gauged after meeting him today."

 

German-American Thomas C Sudhof, who was given the Nobel Prize in 2013 in physiology and medicine, said that the Trump-led government in the US is not spending enough to promote science and research, whereas Modi's approach in this regard looks promising.

The Nobel laureates observation make sense with the Budget allocation to development of science and technology and new initiatives by the Ministry. It may be recalled that in the 2018 Budget Modi government proposed to hike the allocation for science ministries and departments between 5 and 17 per cent, with the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Space placed on the opposite extremes of the allocation chain. The Union Budget earmarked Rs 13,971.41 crore for the Department of Atomic Energy, which is mandated to generate nuclear power in India. The allocation is 5.76 per cent more than what was allocated to the DAE in the previous Budget.

The budget for the Ministry of Science and Technology was proposed to be hiked by 6.11 per cent - from Rs 11,612.11 crore in the previous Budget to Rs 12,322.28 crore in the Budget 2018-19.

What are the major initiatives in four years of Modi rule?

Mission Innovation Smart Grids Workshop- Mission Innovation challenge on Smart Grids is collectively working to enable future smart grids powered by renewables. 20 participating countries with India, Italy and China as Co-lead are working together to realise this aspiration. An international workshop was organised during 16-19th November 2017 at New Delhi to define research priorities and develop action plan for time-bound action for the realisation of these objectives.