Self-reliance needed in critical technology: Kalam

Indore, Oct 3 (UNI) Renowned scientist and former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam today called upon scientists to make the country self-reliant in the field of critical technology for continued progress in science and technology.

Delivering address at the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology here, Dr Kalam said critical technology was not available during critical times. He pointed out that nuclear technology was not made available to the country by other countries for several decades.

Dr Kalam said Indian scientists had proved that nuclear technology could be used in improving agricultural production besides in the field of medicine and power generation.

He said scientists would have to put efforts for developing thorium-based nuclear reactors, as the country would require 50,000 MW power by 2030.

Dr Kalam underlined the importance of science and technology for in development of the country by 2020.

The former President said the country was progressing at a fast pace and foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were getting attracted towards it. He stressed on the need for single-window system besides making investment procedure simple.

Expressing happiness of keeping the institute's name after famous scientist Raja Ramanna, he said Raja Ramanna brought him from the Indian Space Research Organisation to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

UNI