Kalam irked by under-utilisation of funds for S

Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, Jan 5 (UNI) Taking a serious view of under-utilisation of resources for scientific research, President A P J Abdul Kalam today lamented that more than 20 per cent of the funds allocated for Science and Technology in Budget 2005-06 remained unutilised.

''Every year, when I come to Science Congress, there has been an assurance that the S&T budget will be increased. This year the Prime Minister has announced that the allocation on Science and Technology will be progressively increased from less than one per cent of the GDP to two per cent in the next five years,'' Dr Kalam said in his address after presenting awards to 13 young scientists at the Indian Science Congress here.

The award amount has been increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000 per head this year, with the Rs 10,000 contribution from the Annamalai University where the Science Congress is being held.

''The commitment from the Prime Minister is good news for science and technology, no doubt about it,'' the President said, amid applause from the audience, most of whom were from the scientific community.

But immediately he added, ''Now what I want to say, you will not do it (applause)''.

''Last night, when I studied the utilisation of budget allotment for Science and Technology, I found that more than 20 per cent of funds remained unutilised in 2005-06,'' he said.

EDS: pick up suitably from earlier series.

UNI