Science should meet needs of humanity: Deshmukh

Murthal: Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today stressed the need for bending scientific research and technology to improve the quality of life of common masses and build a powerful science base in the country.

"Science should come out of university laboratories and meet the needs of humanity," the Union minister for science and technology and earth sciences said in his address at the first convocation of the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology here in Sonepat.

Also delivering the fourth Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Memorial Lecture, he said latest innovations in technology must drive the future of the country and the ultimate goal of any research should be service to the mankind because the future of common man is directly linked with the growth of science and technology.

Reiterating the firm resolve of the Centre to support science and technology in all its facets, he said that the core of all related activities, policies and decisions was to raise the quality of life, particularly of disadvantaged sections of society, creating wealth for all, making India globally competitive and utilising the natural resources in a sustainable manner for protecting the environment and ensuring national security.

"One of the main objectives of our government's Science and Technology Policy is to ensure food, agriculture, nutritional, environmental, water, health and energy security of the people on a sustainable basis."

Deshmukh said that India had been able to build up a capacity in a wide range of areas of modern technology, from software engineering to health biotechnology.

This has placed the country in a strong position to engage in the global knowledge economy, rather than remaining on the margins, he pointed out.