Need to invest more in R&D: Sibal

For every one million Indians, only 156 people are engaged in research and development while the figure is 5,000 for the US, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said on Friday.

While the Indian economy is growing at an impressive pace of over seven per cent, expenditure on research is just about 0.8 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product.

"We must invest more in Science and Technology and R&D because any civilisation moves forward" on the basis of scientific discoveries, Sibal said in the Rajya Sabha.

An autonomous Science and Engineering Research Board will be set up for promoting basic research in science and engineering, he said. The board will serve as a multi-disciplinary funding agency for research in the emerging areas of science and engineering.

These functions are carried out by the Department of Science and Technology under the advice of a Science and Engineering Research Council.

With the setting up of the board, scientists seeking funding for research would not have to go to government departments, Sibal said moving the Science and Engineering Research Board Bill, 2008 for consideration and passing.

The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill.