‘Scientific collab should bring ease of living for common man’

New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS) The ultimate goal of all scientific innovations should be that it reaches every household like happened in case of space technology and the global scientific collaboration should be for bringing ‘ease of living’ to the common man, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Jitendra Singh said on Monday.

“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Science and Technology got special impetus in the last 6-7 years and the scientific pursuits and endeavours are being assigned special importance.The ultimate goal of all scientific innovations should be that it reaches every household like happened in case of space technology,” Singh said.

He was speaking when a Swedish delegation, led by Ambassador Klas Molin, called on the Minister to discuss and review bilateral cooperation in science and technology, and innovation.

Principal Scientific Adviser to the government of India Professor K Vijay Raghavan, secretary, DST, Professor Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary DBT, Renu Swarup, DG, CSIR and secretary, DSIR Shekhar Mande and other senior officials of the Ministry took part in the meeting.

India and Sweden are best positioned to take the S&T partnership forward, he said and particularly emphasised the early operationalisation of Smart Grid Project in the wake of challenges of climate change.

Singh also said both the governments proposed to launch a new joint call on circular economy including the themes such as health science and ‘Waste to Wealth’ by the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology and Swedish VINNOVA soon.

Ambassador Molin said the cooperation is happening in an organic fashion, and it has the blessings of top leadership from both the countries. He also called for a ‘Joint Action Plan’ for a sustainable future and creation of more employment opportunities in both the countries.

He said, the number of Indian skilled workers are continuously growing in Sweden as roughly 50,000 are currently gainfully employed.