Centre-State Science Conclave: Jitendra Singh bats for ‘One Nation, One Data’ for all states

Echoing Singh’s comment, BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh’s Minister of Science and Technology Om Prakash Sakhlecha said that in the state it is en route to making ‘one citizen, one data’.

“You put a citizen’s Aadhar number and you will get all their data on what benefits they have received of which schemes. 90 per cent of this work has been completed, we expect to complete the work by March (2023).”

Lauding the conclave for getting the ball rolling on talking about science and technology departments of state and how they can coordinate and cooperate with each other and with the Centre, Singh added, “With this conference, we are actually celebrating the science departments and science ministries of different states because I’ve seen a time when if someone would be posted as a secretary at the science department — bureaucrats, civil servants — they would wonder if they have been sidelined and half of his time would be spent in the corridors of chief minister and chief secretary…For the first time there is a sense of pride and esteem which is happening through this conference.”

Meanwhile, ministers of science and technology from the states of Uttarakhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Chhatisgarh participated in the leadership session.

Ashok Chandra Panda, minister of science and technology at Odisha suggested that “both Centre and state should support in collaborating with state S&T-recognised centres as to how to provide capacity building for scientists and researchers in various areas like grant-writing, scientific leadership and specific areas of S&T such as green and clean energy, artificial intelligence and medical sciences etc.”

Additionally, speaking at a plenary session on the theme of future growth pathways, professor Sachin Chaturvedi, vice chairman of Rajya Niti Evam Yojana Aayog at Madhya Pradesh added that among areas that require to be addressed in technology is finance.

With heavy rains in Ahmedabad causing a power cut at the conclave, the conclave was cut short, leading to cancellation a plenary session midway.