BackMake innovation useful to masses, Narendra Modi tells scientists
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says new work culture of completing projects before time is needed to boost economic growth
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Bhubaneswar/Paradip: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked scientists to make innovation useful for the people and develop technology that is affordable to the masses with “zero defect" and “zero effect" on the environment.
“Everybody engaged in research may not get a Nobel Prize, but the real award for them is to make their invention useful for the common people," he said after inaugurating the new campus of the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) at Jatni near Bhubaneswar.
On the country’s traditional knowledge, Modi said, “Dr Manjul Bhargava became one of the great mathematicians by gathering knowledge from scriptures. His father was a Sanskrit scholar. We should connect the traditional knowledge with science and technology."
“Our priority should be to make science and technology affordable to the masses with zero effect and zero defect," Modi said, adding what he meant by “zero effect" was that it should not have any adverse impact on the environment and be free from side effects.
He said Odisha had abundant coal reserve. Therefore, affordable, cheap and green technology should be developed so that coal gasification could be developed here. Noting that India’s ocean and sky remained untapped, Modi asked the scientific community to explore the resources and utilize them for the benefit of the people. “Why did our forefathers describe the ocean as Ratna Garva. This is because of the wealth in the ocean. The scientific research should be in the field of marine areas," he said.
“Complete projects before time"
Sharply criticising project delays that lead to huge cost overruns, Modi said a new work culture of conceiving and completing projects before time is needed to boost economic growth. Rejecting opposition Congress’ charge that projects he has been inaugurating in recent months were all started during their time, he said as a prime minister he would have been happy if the projects were completed 15 years ago and led to creation of jobs.
Dedicating to the nation the Indian Oil Corp.’s ₹ 34,555-crore refinery in Paradip, Modi said the government is targeting reduction in oil import dependence by 10% by 2022 by creating policy environment that supports raising domestic output as well as by mixing bio-fuels such as ethanol in auto fuels.
“It is very natural that I am happy to inaugurate projects. But as prime minister of a country, I don’t feel happy at all. I would have been happy if these works would have been completed 15 years back, when lakhs of people here would have got jobs," he said. PTI
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