Bemoaning the inadequate support provided for research in the country, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asserted the State’s priority to set itself on the road to modernity through knowledge generation and innovation.
Inaugurating the distribution of the second batch of Chief Minister’s Navakerala Post Doctoral Fellowships here on Monday, Mr. Vijayan said India’s budgetary allocation for research and development (R&D) is the lowest among BRICS grouping, which also comprise Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. The country’s R&D expenditure on scientific R&D is currently 0.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), much lower than the global average of 1.8%. “It is also a matter of concern that a portion of the investment is utilised for promoting unscientific thinking,” he alleged.
Emphasising on the State’s goal to tread a different path, the Chief Minister said an R&D budget was included in the State Budget for the first time by earmarking funds to the tune of ₹3,500 crore. Translational laboratories will come up in 10 universities to develop solutions and services to various problems that are key to developing a new Kerala. Citing restrictions created by intellectual property rights and patents in applying emerging knowledge, he also stressed on the need to focus on knowledge creation.
