Highlighting the Centre’s science and technology-based development model, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India’s Global Innovation Index ranking improved from 81 in 2015 to 46 at present due to the central government’s efforts.

The Prime Minister on Saturday inaugurated the Centre-State Science Conclave via video conferencing.

Addressing the event, PM Modi said, “We have to work on many fronts simultaneously to make India a global centre of research and innovation in this Amrit Kaal. We have to take our research related to science and technology to the local level.”

Prime Minister also calls science fuel and added, “Science is like that energy in the development of 21st century India, which has the power to accelerate the development of every region, the development of every state. Today, when India is moving towards leading the fourth industrial revolution, the role of India’s science and people associated with this field is very important.”

PM Modi also said since 2014 there has been a substantial increase in investment in the field of science and technology.

“Our government is working with the thinking of Science-Based Development. Since 2014, there has been a substantial increase in investment in the field of science and technology. Due to the efforts of the government, today India is ranked 46th in the Global Innovation Index, while in 2015 India was at number 81”

PM said scientists in the West like Einstein, Fermi, Max Planck, Niels Bohr, and Tesla surprised the world with their experiments. At the same time, many scientists including CV Raman, Jagdish Chandra Bose, Satyendranath Bose, Meghnad Saha, and S Chandrashekhar were bringing their new discoveries to the fore.

“If we remember the early decades of the last century, we find that the world was going through a period of devastation and tragedy. But even in that era, whether it was East or West, scientists everywhere were engaged in their great discovery,” he stated.

Prime Minister urged citizens to celebrate the achievements of the scientists of the country with great enthusiasm.

“We have to work on many fronts simultaneously to make India a global centre of research and innovation. We have to take our research related to science and technology to the local level,” PM Modi said.

PM said in order to encourage innovation, the state governments should emphasize the creation of more scientific institutions and simplification of processes.

“In the states, there are many national level scientific institutes, national laboratories are also there. The states should take full advantage of their capability and their expertise. We also have to take our science-related institutions out of the state of silos,” the Prime Minister said.

He also emphasised on increasing the number of innovation labs in higher education institutions in the States.

According to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the first-of-its-kind Conclave will strengthen Centre-State coordination and collaboration mechanisms – in the spirit of cooperative federalism – to build a robust science, technology and innovation (STI) ecosystem across the country.

The two-day Conclave is organised at Science City, Ahmedabad on September 10 and 11.

It will include sessions on different thematic areas including STI Vision 2047; Future Growth Pathways and Vision for STI in States; Health – Digital Health Care for All; Doubling Private Sector investment in R&D by 2030; Agriculture – Technological interventions for improving farmers’ income; Water – Innovation for producing potable drinking water; Energy- Clean Energy for All including S&T role in Hydrogen mission; Deep Ocean Mission and its relevance for Coastal States/UTs as well as country’s future economy.

During the inauguration of the conclave, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh also marked their presence.

The first-of-its-kind Conclave will witness the participation of Science and Technology Ministers and Secretaries of States and Union Territories, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, NGOs, young scientists and students, said the PMO.