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Sibal for technologies that will benefit rural areas

P. Sunderarajan

Announces the institution of an annual special award of Rs. 10 lakh for scientists

AMETHI: Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal on Saturday announced the institution of a special award of Rs. 10 lakh for scientists who develop technologies that would benefit rural areas. The award, the first of it kind, would be presented by CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) annually.

Mr. Sibal said it was part of the Government's initiative to help change the mindset of scientists. "Scientists in India today focus more on finding solutions to problems faced by cities than the villages. We want to change that." It would also help to take development on the doorstep of aam admi (common man). "Even after 57 years of Independence, progress has not reached the villages as much as in the case of cities. The villagers are still not getting adequate prices for their produce, nor having proper access to quality power supply, irrigation and other facilities."

Earlier, Mr. Sibal inaugurated a five-day exhibition on rural-oriented technologies put up by his Ministry here. The exhibition is also the first of its kind, as science and technology expositions have so far been held mainly at the district headquarter level or above. Also, they showcased technologies all sectors instead of being exclusively focussed on rural areas.

According to Ministry sources, similar exhibitions would be organised in other parts of the country. A highlight of the programme was the collaboration established with a Delhi-based non-governmental organisation to collect feedback from the villages to ensure that the exercise was not a one-time affair but an endeavour to enable the villagers to use the technologies.

Mr. Sibal said the Ministry would thoroughly go through the feedback and all assistance, including financial help, would be provided to ensure that the technologies got transferred to the field.

"Amethi is the foundation of the Congress. The Congress stands for development of villages. The development of rural India with the help of science and technology is beginning from Amethi today."

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