Nod to national research body at Rs 1,000 cr

A National Science and Engineering Research Foundation at Rs 1,000 crore and two institutes for scientific research and education in Kolkata and Pune. These were among the decisions taken at a meeting of the Science Advisory Council with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The council has already given in-principle approval for the foundation, which has been discussed since the 80s. ‘‘The idea is to infuse more funds into academic science, insulate scientists from bureaucratic function…look at output and indicators on science and report to the government on the health of science in the country. It is time to create a new mechanism on funding and science,’’ said Professor P. Balaram, chairman, biological sciences at the Indian Institute of Science.

Chairman of the council Prof C.N.R. Rao said countries such as China had benefitted greatly from the setting up of such a foundation.