New Delhi. Jan 29 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a meeting with the recently reconstituted Scientific Advisory Council to Prime Minister (SAC to PM) here on Friday.

The SAC to PM is headed by eminent scientist Professor C.N.R. Rao.

The meeting discussed SAC’s future plans and programmes and areas that require attention on short term as well as long term basis.

Rao presented the major contributions made by the SAC in the past five years, including establishment of two new Science and Technology Ministries/ Departments in the Government of India, namely, Department of Health Research and Ministry of Earth Sciences; setting up of five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, a new autonomous structure to support innovation, research and development, the newly approved National Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to fund scientific research in India.

He also made a presentation on “India’s competitiveness in Science and Engineering” and the main item discussed was roadmap for making India competitive in science and a global innovation hub in next five to ten years.

The discussion with the Prime Minister mainly pertained to three major topics: namely the role and operationalization of the National Science and Engineering Research Board; the need and roadmap to develop medical research in general and biomedical research in particular; and the most important one being the need to improve the quality of scientific effort in the country and the means of becoming a global centre for innovation and showing better performance in all spheres of science in the next few years.

Some aspects related to mobility of scientists and other aspects related to bureaucratic impediments were also discussed.

Singh lauded the efforts of the SAC on various fronts and the encouraging results that have emerged. He accepted the recommendation of the SAC to convene a meeting of National Development Council (NDC) to discuss issues related to science education and engagement of States in research and development and requested SAC to prepare a roadmap for discussion at NDC.

Singh also urged the SAC to work with the same zeal and to come out with appropriate recommendations related to several other important aspects for taking science and technology in the country ahead. (ANI)