Rs 1350 crore God Particle lab in Tamil Nadu likely: PM
January 03, 2012  12:33

Details on what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today at the Science Congress.

Noting that India's position in the field of science has been overtaken by China, sought an increase in spending on scientific research to at least two per cent of GDP and enhanced contribution from industry.

"As far as resources are concerned, the fraction of the GDP spent on R&D in India has been too low and stagnant," he said inaugurating the 99th Indian Science Congress in Bhubaneshwar. 

"Over the past few decades, India's position in the world of science had been declining and we have been overtaken by countries like China. Things are changing but we cannot be satisfied with what has been achieved. We need to do much more to change the fate of Indian science," Singh said. 

He  said the aim should be to increase the total R&D spending as a percentage of the GDP to two per cent by the end of the 12th Plan period from the current level of about 0.9 per cent. "This can only be achieved if industry, which contributes about one third of the total R&D expenditure today, increases its contribution.I believe public sector undertakings especially in the engineering sector should play a major role in this expansion," he said. 

He said there is another proposal for setting up a Neutrino Observatory at Theni in Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 1350 crore to study the fundamental particles that form the universe.

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