Tuesday, January 4 2005 12:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Government today (Jan 4, 2005) announced a new fellowship for 'performing scientists' with a view to boosting scientific talent in the country.

The scheme, to be implemented soon and named after late nuclear scientist Raja Ramanna, would offer continuous research support to 'performing scientists' irrespective of their employment status, affiliation and age, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said in Ahmedabad at the inauguration of the 92nd session of the Indian Science Congress.

The scientists will also be provided with necessary enabling environment including autonomy in functioning and more investments in human resource development, he said.

Government would also set up National Missions in Nano-technology, transport intelligence systems, technology development for judicial re-engineering, eradication of malnutrition and discovery of curative and preventive medicine for malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, the minister said.

"The idea is to guarantee working-level support to performing scientists in an uninterrupted fashion based only on their track record in the preceding project," Sibal said.

The Minister said that science and technology must provide answer to the problems of under nourishment and illiteracy.

He said the Government would also work towards providing autonomy in their functioning.

The Government would invest in human resource development to expand the skilled human resource base, provide a suitable regulatory mechanism for an effective biotechnology policy and strengthen the management system for intellectual property rights, he said.

Referring to the devastation caused by the Tsunami disaster of December 26 last month, he said, "This massive shock has caught us unawares. Those who have suffered are mainly poor and the less disadvantaged."

He said scientists must try to devise methods to foretell natural disasters and reduce the damage.