Six research parks set up to strengthen research work in India: Javadekar

Jalandhar, Jan 6 (UNI) Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said that research work is the basic of innovation and only research can take a nation to new heights of development and progress.

Addressing a valedictory session of the Eighth Indian Woman Science Congress during the ongoing five-day 106th Indian Congress at LPU, the Minister said 'Science keeps us continuously flourishing and prosperous. Consistency, compassion, perseverance, conviction and courage are the major elements present in the women, which help them to find out the real solution to the basic problem.'

He said that research and innovation took the nation, ahead of others, adding 'If you do research intensively, the nation will progress and people will become prosperous.'

Citing the examples of Korea and Singapore, the Union Minister said that these tiny countries developed due to their keen aptitude in science. China was nowhere in the map of the world as far as development was concerned. It was science that brought them on the fore front.

'Tiny countries are emerging as big economies, following their scientific researches. We have to understand that only those nations would develop, which are on sound footing scientifically.

'Modi government is providing all assistance and infrastructure to the educational institutions and Universities, to strengthen their research facilities.

'The Prime Minister, during the inaugural session of the Indian Science Congress, on January 3 at the campus, gave the slogan of Jai Anusandhan, on the pattern of Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan, given by former Prime Minister late Lal Bahadur Shastri and Jai Vigyan by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

'The idea behind the Jai Vigyan slogan was to encourage and strengthen research and innovation in the country. For this purpose, the government has enhanced research funding and set up six research parks in the academic campus,' Mr Javadekar added.

He said the journey of research is unlimited and a continuous process. The government has also set up a fund named Higher Education Financial Agency (HEFA), in which students and teachers are working in unison.

He said the government had also decided to inculcate scientific spirit among the students, following which the science laboratories in the educational institutions are being strengthened, so that more and more practical knowledge, students could gain.