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The two-day Gujarat Science Conclave of State Science & Technology (S&T) Ministers, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Science City Ahmedabad on September 10, 2022, will explore State specific technologies and innovations for adoption and scaling up through an integrated approach, with the Centre’s collaboration.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the broad theme of the conclave will be to present a Vision 2047 for S&T sector with particular reference to meeting the S&T challenges and needs of States and Future Growth Pathway and Vision for STI in States.

The Minister said that States/UTs can work with six Science Departments, namely Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Earth Science (MoES), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Department of Space (DoS), to further enhance Science & Technology.

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that “Doubling Private Sector investment in R&D by 2030” and supplementing the country’s and State’s overall economy will also be a critical agenda of the Science Conclave, in tune with the Atma Nirbhar pitch of the Modi Government. He added that dialogues on increasing private sector investment in R&D and developing collaboration for Indian states will feature prominently during deliberations.

The S&T Ministers of all 28 States, Administrators of 8 UTs, key officials from States – Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries in charge of S&T in the states and all Science Secretaries to Government of India, are expected to be represented at the conference.

According to Dr Singh, the two-day S&T Conclave would have a new dimension as several action-oriented decisions will be taken and all States and UTs will be asked to have individual STI policies along the lines of National STI policy.

Dwelling on the broad agenda of the Conclave, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it will aim at fostering proactive engagement between Centre and States in S&T, creating a mechanism to facilitate the flow of STI information and data between Centre and States, Capacity Building of Scientists, technologists and professionals from States in key technology areas. He said the Centre and States will work together to promote private sector participation in the State R&D and will aim at putting in position a robust and long-term Centre-State coordination and monitoring Mechanism in STI at the highest level.