New Delhi: To check overlaps and duplicity in scientific research and save precious resources, the government may soon have an ‘umbrella scheme’ to ensure effective coordination between various scientific ministries and departments.
A proposal in this regard is already with the cabinet secretary.
The issue was discussed in the meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on science and technology, environment and forests on 20 February.
During the meeting, the committee led by Congress leader Anand Sharma desired to know from the union ministry of earth sciences (MoES) “whether there was some kind of umbrella organisation for coordination to avoid the overlapping in work among the various scientific ministries/departments since many scientific departments were working on similar projects”.
“Responding to the observations of the committee, the secretary (M. Rajeevan) stated that the ministry has prepared an umbrella scheme and submitted it to the cabinet secretary for consideration,” noted the report of the standing committee which was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.
On the query regarding the level of coordination with various scientific ministries/departments to avoid duplicity in research work/ technology development, the committee was informed that MoES has been “working very closely with various ministries/departments at different levels for effective and coordinated... implementation of programmes to avoid duplicity in research and technology development.”
Such a scheme can be significant as more than a dozen union ministries, departments and authorities carry out scientific work including research at a cost of hundreds of crores of rupees.
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