Friends, first and foremost I wish you all a happy 2020. May this year be marked by prosperity in your lives and productivity in your labs. I am particularly happy that one of my first programmes in the start of a new-year and new decade is linked to science, technology and innovation. This programme is happening in Bengaluru, a city linked with science and innovation. The last time I had come to Bengaluru was when the eyes of the nation were set on Chandrayan-2. That time, the manner in which our nation celebrated science, our space programme and the strengths of our scientists will always be a part of my memory.
Friends, Bengaluru the city of gardensis now a wonderful field for start-ups. The world is coming to innovate here. The city has developed such an ecosystem of research and development that it is the dream of every young scientist, innovator, and engineer to connect with it. But is this dream only about individual progress and career? No. This dream is associated with the spirit of doing something for the country, making one's achievement an achievement of the country.
And hence, when we start year 2020 with positivity and optimism of science and technology driven development, we take one more step in fulfilling our dream.
Friends,
I have been told that India has climbed to third position globally in the number of peer reviewed science and engineering publications. It is also growing at a rate of about 10% compared to around 4% global average. I am also happy to learn that India’s ranking has improved in the Innovation Index to 52. Our programs have created more technology business incubators in the last five years than in the previous 50 years! I congratulate our scientists for these accomplishments.
Friends,
The growth story of India depends on its achievements in the Science & Technology sector. There is a need to revolutionize the landscape of Indian science, Technology and Innovation. My motto for the young scientists bourgeoning in this country has been -"Innovate, Patent, Produce and Prosper”. These four steps will lead our country towards faster development. If we innovate, we will patent and that in turn will make our production smoother and when we take these products to the people of our country, they will prosper. Innovation for the people and by the people is the direction of our ‘New India’.
Friends,
New India also needs technology and logical temperament so that we can give a new direction to the development of our social and economic life. I have always believed that science and technology has a big role to play in uniting the Indian society and in bringing equality of opportunities. Now, with the development of information and communication technology, as well as with availability of cheap data and cheap smartphones being manufactured in India, have ended the privilege of a certain section. Due to this, even the ordinary citizen has been convinced that he is no different; he is also directly connected to the government and his voice is reaching directly to the government. We have to encourage and strengthen such changes.
Friends,
This time you have discussed the role of science and technology in rural development, so I will talk about this topic in a little more detail. Rural development has been felt and experienced by the common man in the last 5 years. The strength behind the world's biggest schemes from Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to Ayushman Bharat, which are being praised for effective delivery today, is our commitment to technology and good-effective governance.
Friends,
Today, on a large scale, science and technology is being used for governance in the country, as never before. Just yesterday, our government had set a record by transferring the money of PM KisanSammanNidhi to 6 crore farmers of the country at one go. How did all this become possible? It became possible with the help of Aadhaar enabled technology.
Friends,
The toilets and electricity have reached every village in the country and to the poor families, only due to technology. It is this technology that enabled the government to identify 8 crore poor sisters whose lives were being affected by the smoke of fuel wood. With the use of technology, not just the beneficiaries were identified, but we were also able to decide in a very short time as to where and how many new distribution centers were to be built up. Today the roads in the village are completed on time, and more than 2 crore houses for the poor have been completed on time, only due to technology. With the use of Geo Tagging and Data Science, now the speed of the projects has increased. With the provision of Real Time Monitoring, the gap between the scheme and the beneficiary is now ending. Due to completion of work on time, the complaints of cost overrun and passing of incomplete projects are also ending.
Friends,
We are continuing our efforts to ensure the ‘Ease of doing Science’, and effectively using Information Technology to reduce red tape. Today, farmers are able to sell their products directly to the market without being at the mercy of the middlemen. Digitalisation, E-commerce, internet banking and mobile banking services are assisting rural populations significantly. Today, farmers are getting the required information about the weather and forecasts easily through many e-governance initiatives.
Friends,
We have to broaden the usefulness of technology in the development of India, especially in rural development. The coming decade is going to be a decisive time for science and technology based governance in India. The supply chain network between Cost Effective Agriculture and Farm to Consumer, in particular, will bring unprecedented technology potential. It will directly benefit the village and the rural economy. All of you are also aware that to provide water to every household in rural areas of India, a huge campaign- Jal Jeevan Mission has been started. The strength behind this campaign is also technology. Now it is your responsibility to develop effective and affordable technology for water recycling and reuse. In a way, Water Governance is a new frontier for you. You can come out with a cheap and effective solution to utilize the water coming out of the houses for irrigation in the fields. We will also have to develop such seeds that are not only nutritious but also need lesser water. We need to think of ways by which the data from the Soil health cards that have been distributed all over the country can be used in daily farming work. The most important thing is that technical solutions are imperative to protect our farmers from losses in the supply chain.
Friends,
Another important link in the economy of the village is our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises i.e. MSME. In the changing times, their strength is also connected to all of you, friends. Now consider the use of single-use plastic. The country has resolved to achieve liberation from single-use plastic so that we can save our environment, our animals, our fish and our soil. But you have to find cheap and durable plastic and some new alternative. Whether it is metal, clay or fiber, an alternative to plastic will come out of your laboratory itself. Besides Plastic Waste, we also need new technology, new solutions to remove and reuse metal from Electronic Waste.
The solutions that you will provide, the small industries, our clay artists and wood artists will be able to place them in the market. This will save the environment and will also develop our small scale industries.
Friends,
For the green, circular and sustainable economy in the villages, there is a wide scope for dedicated start-ups in the rural economy. The residues of crops and the waste coming out of the houses are also creating a challenge in terms of pollution and filth. We will have to make quick efforts to convert this waste into wealth. We are trying to reduce crude oil imports by at least 10 per cent by the year 2022. Hence, there is a lot of potential for Start-Ups in the bio-fuel ethanol manufacturing sector.
In such a situation, we need to encourage industry-based research. We have to develop dialogue between every stake holder. Remember, your contribution will play a huge role in making India a $ 5 trillion economy.
Friends, There is a need for revolution in technologies assisting agricultural practices. Can we find farmer-centric solutions to the problem of stalk burning for instance? Can we also redesign our brick kilns for reduced emissions and greater energy efficiency? We need to find better and faster solutions to the problem of clean drinking water supplies around the country. How do we prevent effluents and discharge from industries from ruining our soil and our groundwater tables for years to come?
Friends,
Another important point I wish to make is the significance of “Make in India” in medical devices to bring the fruits of advances in diagnostics to our people.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “It is health that is the real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” To promote well-being, we should not only practice some of the tested traditional wisdom, but also continuously enlarge its scope by introducing the modern tools and concepts of contemporary biomedical research.
Our vision should be to protect people from the threats of dangerous communicable diseases like Nipah, Ebola, etc. We must work overtime to fulfil the promise to eradicate Tuberculosis by 2025. Globally, India is the leader in the supply of vaccines. We aim to develop India as a world-class, US$100 billion Bio-manufacturing hub by 2024. This will happen with right policy initiatives and support to innovative research, human resource development and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Friends,
India must also develop a long term roadmap for sustainable and environment friendly transportation and energy storage options. The latter becomes increasingly significant for grid management as we expand our renewal energy supply. These require developing new battery types which are based on earth abundant, environmentally benign materials which are not monopolistic, are affordable on 100s of giga watt scales, and suitable for tropical climates.
Friends, The economic and social benefits of accurate weather and climate forecasting are immense. There have been considerable improvements in weather forecast and warning services especially in case of Tropical cyclones. This is evident from large reduction in casualties. Our successes in space exploration should now be mirrored in the new frontier of the deep sea. We need to explore, map and responsibly harness the vast oceanic resources of water, energy, food and minerals. This requires developing deep strengths in manned submersibles, deep sea mining systems and autonomous underwater vehicles. This, I hope will be made possible by a ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ being formulated by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Friends,
I have learned from the scientists that the potential energy, the silent form of energy, can move mountains by its conversion to the kinetic energy of motion. Can we build a Science in Motion? Imagine the enormous impact of a full translation of our scientific potential into an unprecedented socio-economic development through relevant technologies, innovations, startups and industry. Can we have this high pressure steam drive a high speed engine of Science & Technology to navigate and connect the new India of opportunities?
Friends,
Technology is the bridge between the government and the common man. Technology balances fast growth and right development. Technology has no bias. It is neutral. This is the reason when the coordination of Human Sensitivity and Modern Technology increases, we get unprecedented result. I am confident that in the New Year, in the new decade, we will be able to further strengthen the new attitude and new approach of New India. Once again, Happy New Year to all of you, the entire scientific community and your family. Thanks a lot!
