Met Dept to be modernised, LS passes demands for grants

New Delhi, Apr 27 (UNI) The Lok Sabha today passed the demands for grants for the Ministry of Science and Technology for 2007-08 with the government announcing that it proposes to spend nearly Rs 1,000 crore for modernising and upgrading the facilities of the Met Department.

A key objective of the upgradation project will be to enable issuing of more precise agro-advisories.

Replying to the debate in the House on the demands for grants, Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal said for the first time a highly modern plant is being set up to convert sea water into the drinking water of high quality.

Giving details of the proposed modernisation of the Met Department, Mr Sibal said it needed at least 42 radars against the existing four. There was also a requirement of more wind profilers and a super computer.

The Minister said Public- Private partnership would enable taking up of more projects as it would make up for the lack of resources with the government. In this regard, Mr Sibal spoke of the catalytic role played by the PPP model.

The Members lauded the dynamism of the Minister in taking the Department to greater heights.

Mr Sibal said conversion of brackish water into drinking water was based on indigenous technology.

The Minister shared his concern of inadequate allocation of funds for his Ministry which he said was a mere 0.8 per cent of the GDP as compared to three per cent in the cas of some developed countries.

Mr Sibal argued that much larger resources need to be deployed in both agriculture and for the development of Science and Technology to make them centres of innovation. The move would help increase food production, which will ultimately help control price rise.

''We must empahsise on the supply side as well,'' he said.

Earlier, Members cutting across the party line made a strong case for hiking allocation of funds for the Ministry. They were also unanimous that brain drain be checked, a conducive atmosphere be created for the promotion of Research and Development and encouraging the growth of scientific temperament among people.

They also called for innovative measures to control floods and cyclones and fight diseases which afflict the common people.

Mr Sibal outlined the role of more scientific mapping for better maintenance of security, crop estimates, disaster management and resource finding. The PP model was ideally suited for the purpose.

(Eds: pls pick up suitably from earlier series).

UNI