Research institutes are assets, should not turn monuments: Minister

CHENNAI: The research institutions, funded by government, should try to generate their own financial resources and not remain dependent on the government, Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary said here today.

"Each of our research institution is our national asset, I don't want them to become national monuments, they should become national economic assets, our research institutions will do wonders," he told reporters.

After his maiden review of the CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute here with top officials, answering a question, he said he discussed developing the institution's financial resources in the meeting.

Citing examples from the US varsities that managed funds on their own, he said "then (if such a model was followed here) this kind of day-to-day dependence (on the government) will not be there, that kind of culture should come within Indian government organisations, rather than depend on government funding."

Vice-Chancellors of universities that are about 50-60 year in existence spent 50 per cent of their time in running behind government secretaries seeking allocation of funds, he regretted. "That has to stop. That is one of my target."

On priorities of his ministry, he said "spend more for research and any research is expected to meet the requirements of a common man."

The Finance Ministry will be requested to increase budget allocation for Research and Development that was reduced last year, he added.

Plan to facilitate more and more public private participation, incubation centres in universities, fixation of metrics for institutions and a quarterly review system were among the initiatives underway, he indicated.

Asked on chances for any new project for Tamil Nadu from his ministry, he said, "if the state government comes up with any demand we are willing to look at it."

States including Andhra Pradesh had submitted a couple of new projects in areas including pharma and biotechnology and the priority will be for ones that "showed feasibility."