India's Prime Minister Calls on Agric Scientists For a Second Green Revolution

India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh while addressing the "99th Annual Session of the Indian Science Congress" on January 3, 2012 at KIIT Stadium, Bhubaneswar said, "increasing food production and nutritional security are critically important and our agricultural scientists should therefore work towards scientific breakthroughs that can enable a second green revolution to become a living reality." The Congress focused on the role of science and technology for development in India across all sections of society and particularly touching the under privileged, rural population and women. The theme of the 99th Indian Science Congress was Science and Technology for Inclusive Innovation - Role of Women.

Dr. Singh stressed on increasing the public-private partnerships to catalyze significantly increased interaction between publicly-owned science and technology institutions and industry. He said "While research generates new knowledge, we need innovation to use this knowledge creatively and productively for social benefit." He urged the scientific community to pool their knowledge and wisdom to contribute to the success of the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture. "We must aim to increase the total R&D spending as a percentage of GDP to at least 2 percent by the end of the XII Plan Period from the current level of about 1 percent. This can only be achieved if industry, which contributes about one-third of the total R&D expenditure today, increases its contribution significantly," said Dr. Singh.

Full text of the Prime Minister's speech at the Indian Science Congress is available at http://pmindia.nic.in/lspeech.asp?id=1144