SPECIAL THRUST TO S&T IN 10TH PLAN
TDB REDUCES RATE OF INTEREST FOR
ENTREPRENEURS
NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AWARDS
PRESENTED: TVS GRABS TOP AWARD
OF 10 LAKH
The
Centre has decided to give a special thrust to Science & Technology
for giving a boost to the strong institutional and infrastructure
framework built so far. Significant inputs will be pushed into
those areas where India can emerge global leader and the benefit
of development could accrue to all those excluded so far. This
was disclosed by the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission,
Shri K.C. Pant here today, at a function organised by the Department
of Science and Technology to observe the "National Technology
Day". It was on this day in 1998, India entered the exclusive
nuclear club by successfully carrying out Pokharan-II tests.
Shri Pant said the 10th Five Year
Plan is under finalization and the Approach Paper recognises that
the comparative advantage in the globally integrated knowledge-based
economy is today shifting to those with brain power to absorb,
assimilate and adopt the spectacular developments in Science and
Technology and harness them for national growth. It is Science
and Technology alone that will decide the shape and direction
of the country in the present century. Identifying niche markets
in which our international competitiveness can be improved, increasing
technology investment and enhancing productivity have become imperative,
Shri Pant said.
The Minister of State for Science and Technology,
Shri Bachi Singh Rawat said the Technology Development Board (TDB)
has just taken a decision to reduce the rate of interest on its
future loans to entrepreneurs from 6 to 5% per annum that too
simple interest. In order to encourage entrepreneurs to develop
and commercialise indigenous technologies, the TDB has also decided
not to levy any royalty on the annual sales turn over of the product
developed with the Board’s financial assistance. The net advantage
for an industrial concern will be almost 3 to 4% reduction per
annum on the repayment to TDB.
The Board has so far signed over 100 agreements
with industrial concerns for the commercialisation of indigenous
technologies. The total cost of the project through these exceed
Rs. 1,500 crore and the financial assistance to over Rs. 450 crore,
Shri Rawat said. The Government recognises the technology, as
a high wealth generator in the shortest possible time, he said.
The top national Rs. 10 lakh award for successful
commercialisation of Indigenous Technology for 2002, was bagged
by TVS for its 100 cc Motorcycle Victor GL which provides two
modes of operation, the power and the economy mode. This innovative
technology developed by it, has already been patented.
The TDB introduced two lakh rupee award for
a Small Scale Unit, for successful commercialisation of indigenous
technology went to M/s Instrument Research Associates Limited,
Bangalore for Electronic Digital Automatic Tyre Inflator.
The Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirapalli
received the one lakh rupee Science & Technology Entrepreneur’s
Park (STEP) Award.
The Biotech Product & Process Development
and Commercialisation Awards 2002, each one lakh rupee, went to
three individuals and two companies. They are: Klenzaids Group
of Companies, Mumbai, Project Directorate on Animal Disease Monitoring
and Surveillance of ICAR, Bangalore, Dr. Vijay K. Chaudhary for
a novel diagnostic test for AIDS, Dr. Banwari Lal for environmental
bio-technology and Dr. Girish Sahni for contribution in molecular
biology.
Shri Pant also presented the NRDC (National
Research Development Corporation) meritorious invention awards
to 16 inventors and two WIPO ( World Intellectual Property Organization)
Gold Medals.
Earlier, the Deputy Chairman of the Planning
Commission inaugurated the Technology Day 2002 Exhibition. The
Technology Day special lecture was delivered by Prof. S.K. Brahmachari,
Director, Centre for Biochemical Technology.
