Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the project 'Imprint India', a single window funding clearance mechanism backed with a Rs 1,000-crore kitty to get Indian technical institutions to conduct original research in areas where the country is heavily dependent on foreign technology.
Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister said, "Society is becoming technology driven. important to understand the importance of this & look towards affordable technology." The PM talks of 'innovation being the key' and said 'science is universal but technology has to be local'.
An Inter Ministerial Group (IMG) is being set up as the single window mechanism that will screen research projects and proposals by India's leading research and technology institutes and then approve them and earmark funds for the same. The IMG will have on board the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), Ministry of Defence, Department of Science & Technology, Department of Biotechnology, and Ministry of Rural Development, among others. Named 'IMPRINT' - the one stop research funding mechanism to boost indigenous technology and research will be launched by the PM and President on November 5 at the Visitor's Conference.
The move to set up a one stop funding system was done after a number of scientists and researchers conveyed how the current bureaucratic systems were coming in the way and delaying projects as well as discouraging institutes from taking them up. The drill of getting clearances and approvals through various ministries was another dampener. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are already on board with the plan that is being piloted by the Smriti Irani-led HRD ministry. The issue was also taken up with the institutes at the recent meeting of the IIT Council and the NIT Council.
Ten areas have been identified where India is heavily dependent on foreign technology and where little or no research and manufacturing has been initiated in India. These include healthcare, computers & information technology, energy, sustainable habitat, nano technology hardware, water resources and river systems, advanced materials, manufacturing, defence, environment & climate change.
The IITs and the Indian Institutes of Science have helped identify these areas and detailed the specifics of India's technology requirements now and in the next few years. For instance, in areas like nano technology hardware, almost everything is being imported currently as is the case with diagnostic imaging in healthcare. The research areas will also dovetail with the 'Make in India' campaign to boost indigenous manufacture.
"The idea is to encourage a research environment and also drive institutes to take up research that is socially and technically relevant to India's needs across sectors. For instance, in Healthcare, India practically imports every single diagnostic machinery simply because it is not manufactured here and there is new research in India which can be scaled up. Through IMPRINT, we hope to change that.
That apart, a streamlined, well-coordinated funding process is key to building a robust research eco system and this forum should help bring in that", an official associated with IMPRINT said on condition of anonymity.