📋 Tender Overview
Union Minister of State Independent Charge Science Technology Minister of State Independent Charge Earth Sciences MoS PMO Personnel Public Grievances Pensions Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh said that the growth of SCO depends on its success in science technology and innovation sectors and there is a need to transform this landscape.Dr Jitendra Singh while delivering his inaugural address at the Second SCO Young Scientist Conclave in Bengaluru noted that Indias Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the 19th Meeting of Council of Heads of State of SCO had coined an acronym HEALTH H for Health-care cooperation E for Economic cooperation A for Alternate Energy L for Literature and Culture T for Terrorism free society H for Humanitarian Cooperation. He said that SCO brings together the colorful and distinctive cultures of Central and South Asia and it promotes mutual assistance and team spirit. The Minister added that the SCO consists of approximately 42 of the worlds population 22 of its land area and it contributes 20 to the global GDP. He said that the SCO countries have demographic advantage of having large number of young people.Dr Jitendra Singh highlighted Food security as a major area of concern for SCO economies as it accounts for a combined population of over three billion people. He said that technology will play a critical role in enhancing both the quality and quantity across the agriculture value chain from the use of inputs at the pre-production stage to post-production and marketing to improve the income of farmers. He added that leveraging the SCO scientific talents in this endeavor will certainly add a great value.Dr Singh pointed out that we may organize Startup Forum and an Innovation Contest to Promote Micro- Small- and Medium Sized Businesses. Stressing that the motto for the young scientists should be -to Innovate Patent Produce and Prosper THE Minister said these four steps will lead our countries towards faster development. He specially requested young scientists of SCO to come forward and join hands for developing solutions for our common societal challenges with the limited resources available.Highlighting another area of concern for SCO the Minister said that Environmental degradation has been a cause of concern in the SCO space for a long time especially in Central Asian region. He said that the preservation of the natural environment ecosystems and biodiversity in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs is very important. Dr. Singh noted that providing every person with accessible reliable sustainable and modern energy sources is one of the major Goals of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda until year 2030. He said that we must boost our science and technology cooperation in fiend of energy innovations based on the principle of technology neutrality. He noted that we should encourage the development and use of various clean and low-carbon technologies in the energy sector including the clean and highly efficient use of fossil fuels in the energy transition process. He also opined that critical and emerging technologies such AI data analytics have pervaded all walks of life and is playing a transformative role in almost in all sectors be it health education energy environment agriculture industrial sectors etc. He said that it has become imperative for governments and industries to be prepared to adopt these emerging technologies in order to remain competitive drive societal progress generate employment foster economic growth and to improve the overall quality of life and sustainability of the environment. There great huge potential in this domain for start-us and entrepreneurship. We may organize Startup Forum and an Innovation Contest to Promote Micro- Small- and Medium Sized Businesses.Dr Jitendra Singh said that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exert a serious negative influence on peoples lives health and wellbeing in all countries and the SCO member states must strengthen their cooperation in preventing and countering the spread of infectious diseases to remove the threat of epidemics in the SCO space. He added that the role of innovators and young researchers becomes even more important here to develop innovative affordable solutions.The Union Minister said that India has been progressing well in recent years in terms of its overall performance and outcome in the area of science and technology. He added that India today has attained the 3rd position globally in terms of number of publications and also 3rd in number of Start-Ups. He said that from just 400 registered startups in 2014 to 85 thousand in 2022 Indias startup ecosystem has grown exponentially.Dr Jitendra Singh said that India shares close cultural and historical ties with the SCO nations and our ancestors kept alive this shared historical and cultural heritage with their untiring and persistent contacts. He added that people to people contact and cultural cooperation within SCO area have a huge potential for all stakeholders and that the networking of young scientists will play an important role to further deepen our relations. He said that India looks forward to deepening the SCO collaboration in the field of Science Technology and Innovation. Dr. Singh expressed hope that this Conclave will prove to be a catalyst for fostering the collaboration among young scientists. The Union Minister exhorted the young scientists saying their motto should be - to Innovate Patent Produce and Prosper. He said these four steps will lead our countries towards faster development. The Minister made a special request to the young scientists of SCO that for the welfare of the world for human welfare they should come forward and join hands for developing solutions for our common societal challenges.
