S&T ministry to plan agenda for 12th Plan

India will focus on key initiatives in the frontier areas of science and technology to acquire a global leadership position in these areas and to harness the nation's S&T capabilities during the 12th Five Year Plan.

A high level meeting to be chaired by union minister of state for planning, science & technology and earth sciences Dr Ashwani Kumar is being scheduled tomorrow.

The issues likely to be considered in this meeting include:

• Concrete action plan for upgrading the country's super-computer capabilities.
  
• Steps to give further impetus to deep-sea mining and acquisition of the requisite technological capabilities in this area.
  
• Address issues/gaps with respect to the country's ability and capability to translate fundamental research into innovative products and services and commercialisation/scaling of technology from pilot projects onwards.
  
• Address issues/ gaps with respect to the country's ability and capability.
  
• Big ideas for the future like – super microscope, carbon capture and storage, ocean acidification and interstellar chemistry.

The meeting will be attended by principal scientific adviser to Government of India Dr R Chidambaram, Member (S&T) of the Planning Commission Dr K Kasturirangan besides secretaries of the departments of science and technology, bio-technology, scientific and industrial research, ministry of earth sciences, ministry of information and technology, ministry of mines and other senior scientists.