Security agencies in the country need better technology as they gear up to fight terror attacks and crime in the country, President Pratibha Patil said on Friday. "With the rise of terror incidents in the country, our security forces need better equipment and technology as the nation fights terrorism and crime," Patil said at the 46th convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B).The President praised IIT-Bombay for annually conducting a course on the 'role of technology in crime and crime prevention' which is attended by senior police officials but said it needed to be strengthened further. Technology applications should also reach a broad section of the nation's society particularly rural areas, Patil said."Our rural areas are engaged in the task of feeding the nation and we must not forget that we survive because of our farmers. However, our farmers are affected by floods, drought, pests, lack of infrastructure and low yields as compared to the rest of the world," she said."While many of these areas are specialized, IIT engineers have a duty to the nation to produce cutting edge solutions for our rural areas," Patil said.The President said there was a need to develop efficient technologies to meet energy requirements of the nation and environment friendly technologies to lower green house gas emissions."Finding new options and cost-effective solutions for growth requires our scientists and researchers to stay one step ahead rather than catch up with the latest technologies," she said.The rate of innovation would need to be increased dramatically to keep up with a fast changing technological world, Patil said."For accomplishing these objectives we need highly skilled manpower, engineers, researchers and scientists who would provide knowledge, techniques and technologies to transform the landscape of India," she said.The President praised IIT-Bombay for undertaking distance education programmes through internet-based courses and creating customized programmes for the industry to train people on the latest trends in technology and help increase productivity.She expressed confidence that the graduates from IITs would become important partners in paving the country's path for becoming a global leader in a knowledge-based society.The government was focusing on the development of institutes of higher learning and eight new IITs are to be opened, Patil said adding that it would provide opportunities for students to obtain high quality education."I hope the existing IITs would be able to extend support and share their experiences with the proposed new IITs in their initial stages, so that they have the same high standard of education and excellence," President said. Governor S C Jamir, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Dr Anil Kakodkar, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh were also present at the function.
