Tuesday, January 3 2006 13:29 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: Calling for renewed thrust on research for increasing farm productivity and value addition, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Jan 03, 2006) said the second wave of green revolution was not possible unless the research institutions and agricultural universities were rejuvenated.

"There are three challenges that Science and Technology must address to promote rural development, augmenting agricultural productivity, affordable technologies for energy and water and efficient farm and non-farm technologies," Singh said while inaugurating the 93rd Indian Science Congress here.

Outlining the issues facing the scientific community in the globalised world, the Prime Minister spoke about the 'rapidly falling share' of agriculture in national income and called upon scientists to develop appropriate technologies to create more jobs in rural areas.

Over 5,000 delegates, including 85 scientists from 25 countries, are participating in the science congress being hosted by the Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) at Rajendernagar on the city outskirts.

The theme of the congress is 'Integrated Rural Development: Science and Technology'.

A major highlight of the Congress was presentation of India's first Science Award carrying a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, a gold medal and a citation.

The Prime Minister conferred the covetous award on eminent scientist Prof C N R Rao who has been chosen for his path-breaking contributions in solid state chemistry and new materials.

Stating that Indian farmer had benefited from the contribution of science and technology, Singh, however, said despite the advances made so far there still remained the challenge of bridging the development gap between urban and rural India, increasing rural incomes, agricultural productivity and investments in agriculture.

The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal, Andhra Pradesh Governor Sushilkumar Shinde, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy spoke on the occasion.

"While the share of agriculture in national income is falling rapidly, the share of population dependent on agriculture is not declining as rapidly. This is creating rural distress and contributing to enforced migration to urban areas," the Prime Minister said adding that public policy must respond to this important trend in Indian economy.

The only sensible response to this, he said, was to create productive employment opportunities in rural areas.

"This requires a multi-pronged approach, investments in skill development, financing of labour-using technologies on the farm and development of new functional townships away from the existing cities", Singh said. Pointing out that over-centralisation had been the bane of development in India, the Prime Minister favoured decentralisation of governance and also of social and economic infrastructure development.

"While we create a single market removing internal barriers to trade and movement of goods, services and people, we must enable development of local markets", he said.