Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said science and technology was crucial for achieving 8 per cent gross domestic product growth rate.
Inaugurating the 90th Indian Science Congress, Vajpayee said till recently, the economic impact of Indian science and technology was far less than its true potential.
"The Tenth Plan has recognised that the path of productivity-led growth can help attain the ambitious target of 8 per cent. Appropriate science and technology inputs at all levels and in all sectors of the economy are needed to pave this path," he said.
Stating that there was insufficient linkages between research and development establishments and economy, Vajpayee said on the one hand, during the era of license-permit-quota-raj, industry had little incentive to upgrade its processes or products.
"On the other hand, many of our scientists viewed applied research and its commercialisation as an inferior occupation," he added.
Vajpayee told an audience consisting of eminent scientists from the country and abroad that the private sector should invest more in indigenous research and development, in partnership with science and technology institutions in the country.
He said there was a need to attract "our large and accomplished scientific diaspora".
He said wherever necessary, there was a need to devise pragmatic and flexible schemes to enable them to work in scientific institutions in the country.
He said one of the most disturbing trends was the turn-out of graduates and even doctorates of indifferent quality. "We need to reflect on this and take corrective action," he said.
Earlier, Indian Science Congress Association General President and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Kasturirangan said more investments were necessary to develop world-class research facilities in fundamental sciences and in technology.
"Greater incentives for private sector research and increased level of public-private partnerships are to be explored," he said.
