Science and Technology In India: Policy Planning

Science and Technology Policy, 2003

Policy Objectives
Recognising the changing context of the scientific enterprise, and to meet present national
needs in the new era of globalisation, the Government has enunciated the following as
objectives of the Science and Technology Policy:
To ensure that the message of science reaches every citizen of the country, so that
scientific temper is advanced and we emerge as a progressive and enlightened society.
To ensure food, agricultural, nutritional, environmental, water, health and energy security of
the people on a sustainable basis.
To mount a direct and sustained effort on alleviation of poverty, removal of hunger,
malnutrition, reduction of regional imbalances, both rural and urban, and generation of
employment, by using scientific and technological capabilities along with traditional
knowledge pool.
To vigorously foster scientific research in universities and other academic, scientific and
engineering institutions.
To promote the empowerment of women in all science and technology activities and ensure
their full and equal participation.
To provide necessary autonomy and freedom of functioning for all academic and R&D
institutions,
To accomplish national strategic and security related objectives, by using the latest
advances in science and technology.
These objectives can be best realised only by a dynamic and flexible science and
technology policy. This policy reiterates India's commitment to participate as an equal and
vigorous global player in generating and harnessing advances in science and technology for
the benefit of all humankind.

Strategy and Implementation Plan

The implementation, strategy identifies the specific plans, programmes and projects, with
clearly defined tasks, estimates of necessary resources, and time targets. Some of key
elements of implementation strategy are:
1. Science and Technology Governance and Investments
(a) A suitable mechanism shall be evolved by which independent inputs on Science and
Technology Policy and Planning are obtained on a continuous basis from a wide crosssection of scientists and technologists.
(b) Efforts shall be directed towards a greater integration of programmes in socio-economic
sectors with R&D activities.
(c) A concerted strategy shall be evolved to infuse a new sense of dynamism in our S&T
Institutions.
(d) It shall be ensured that all highly science-based Ministries/Depart-ments of Government
are run by scientists and technologists.
(e) Government shall make necessary budgetary commitments for higher education and
science and technology.
2. Optimal utilisation of existing Infrastructure and Competence
Steps shall be taken to network the existing infrastructure, investments and intellectual
strengths to achieve effective and optimal utilisation and constantly upgrade them to meet
changing needs.

3. Strengthening of the Infrastructure for S&T in academic institutions

Major initiatives shall be taken to modernise the infrastructure for science and engineering in
academic institutions. It shall be ensured that all middle and high schools, vocational and
other colleges have appropriately sized science laboratories, special support shall be
provided to select academic institutions to raise standard of teaching and research. Flexible
mechanisms for induction of new faculty in areas of science shall be developed, constancy
of support and attention shall be ensured over at least a ten-year period.
4. New funding mechanisms for Basic Research
Steps shall be taken for setting up more efficient funding mechanisms for the promotion of
basic research on science, medical and engineering institutions. In particular administrative
and financial procedure shall be simplified to pursuit efficient operation of research
programmes.
5. Human Resource Development
New and innovative schemes shall be introduced to attract and nurture young talent with an
aptitude for research.
Substantial funding shall be allocated for building up human resource base in relevant areas,
continuing process of retraining and re-skilling to keep pace with rapid advances shall be
emphasised.
New mechanisms shall be instituted to facilitate return of scientists and technologists of
Indian origin to India.
6. Technology Development, Transfer and Diffusion
A strong base of science and engineering research provides a social foundation for a vibrant
programme of technology development. Hence, priority shall be placed on the development
of technologies which address the basic needs of the population; make Indian Industries
globally competitive; make the country economically strong; and address the security
concerns of the nation. Special emphasis shall be placed on equity on development, so that
the benefits of technological growth reach the majority of the population.
Special emphasis shall be given not only to R&D and the technological factors of innovation,
but also to other equally important social, institutional and market factors needed for
adoption, diffusion and transfer of innovation to the productive sectors.
7. Industry and Scientific R&D
Efforts shall be made to achieve synergy between Industry and scientific research.
Autonomous Technology Transfer Organisations shall be created as associate organisations
of universities and national, laboratories to facilitate transfer of the know- how generated to
industry. Flexible mechanisms shall be evolved to help scientists transfer the know-how
generated by them to industry and be a partner in receiving the financial returns. Industry
shall be encouraged to financially adopt or support educational and research institutions,
fund courses of interest to them etc. to help direct science and technology endeavours
towards tangible industrial goals.
8. Indigenous Resources and Traditional Knowledge
Indigenous knowledge shall be further developed for purpose of wealth and employment
generation innovative systems to document, protect evaluate and to learn from India's rich
heritage of traditional knowledge shall be strengthened and enlarged. Technologies shall be
developed that add value to India's indigenous resources A concerted plan to intensify
research on traditional systems of medicine so as to contribute to fundamental advances in
health case, and leading to commercialisation of effective products shall be undertaken.
9. Technologies for Mitigation and Management of Natural Hazards
A concerted action plan to enhance predictive capabilities and preparedness for meeting
emergencies arising from floods, cyclones, earthquakes, drought, land slides and

avalanches shall be drawn up. Measures shall be taken to promote research on natural
phenomena that lead to disasters and human activities that aggravate them.
10. Generation and Management of Intellectual Property
IPR systems that specially protect scientific discoveries and technological innovations arising
out of traditional knowledge shall be designed and effectively implemented. Legislations with
regard to patents, copyrights and other forms of Intellectual Property shall ensure that
maximum incentives are provided for individual inventors and to scientific and technological
community to undertake large scale and rapid commerciali-sation. The development of skills
and competence to manage IPR and leveraging its influence shall be given a major thrust.
11. Public awareness of Science and Technology
Support shall be provided for wide dissemination of scientific knowledge. Efforts shall be
made to convey to the young the excitement in scientific and technological advances and to
instil scientific temper in the population at large. Special support shall be provided for
programmes that seek to popularise and promote science and .technology in all parts of the
country.
12. International Science-and Technology Cooperation
Scientific research and technology development can benefit greatly by international cooperation and collaboration. International collaborative programmes, especially those
contributing directly to our scientific development of .security objectives shall be encouraged,
special emphasis shall be placed on collaborations with other developing countries and
particularly neighbouring countries, with whom India shares many common problems.
International collaboration in science and technology would be used to further national
interests as an important component of foreign policy initiative.
13. Fiscal Measures
Innovative fiscal measures are critical to ensure successful implementation of policy
objectives. Newer strategies shall be formulated for attracting higher levels of public and
private investments in science and technology development. An apex Science and
Technology advisory body shall be constituted to suggest appropriate fiscal measures to
sub-serve the policy objective.
14. Monitoring
Effective, expeditious, transparent and science-based monitoring and reviewing mechanisms
shall be significantly strengthened, and wherever not available will be put in place It shall be
ensured that the scientific community is involved in, and responsible for smooth and speedy
implementation.
15. The New Vision
The Science and Technology Policy 2003 shall be implemented so as to be in harmony with
our worldview of the larger human family all around. Further, it shall ensure that S&T truly
uplifts the Indian people and all of humanity.

Major Achievements During 11th Plan Period

Nuclear Science
Major Achievements of DAE during the Eleventh Five Year Plan Period:
There are six new nuclear reactors are under construction in the first stage. These include
two 1000 MWe PHRs at KudalKulam, Tamil Nadu, nearing completion and four 700 MWe
PHWRs (2 each at Kakrapar, Gujrat and Rawatbhata, Rajasthan). The design of a 500 MWe
prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (currently under construction at Kalpakkam), BHAVINI of
DAE is implementing this project which is expected to add 500 MWe to the Southern grid by

2012 end. The ongoing development of 300 MWe Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AWHR)
at BARC aims at developing expertise for thorium utilization and demonstrating advanced
safety concept.
UCIL of DAE have been meeting the needs of the Indian Nuclear Power Programme, a
new open cast mine was commissioned at Banduhurang in Singbhum (Jharkhand). UCIL
has taken up the work to develop mines at Lambapur (Andhra Pradesh) and Domiasiat
(Meghalaya) and Mohuldin Uranium Mining Proejct in Saraikela Kharsawan district of
Jharkhand, Uranium Mining and Milling Project at Tumalpalle, Andhra Pradesh are nearing
completion and another such project is underway at Gogi in Karnataka.
The Heavy Water Board (HWB) of DAE bagged the sixteenth export order of 11 MT of
Heavy Watger to South Korea.
A significant milestone towards fuel processing was the commissioning of the Second
Power Reactor Reprocessing Plant by BSRC at Tarapur in January 2011.
A facility for the immobilisation of nuclear waste in a cement matrix has been
commissioned at Kalpakkam. BARC has constructed an Advanced Vitrification System at
Tarapur for high level waste immobilisation on Joule Melter Technology.
During 2010-11, more than 53000 consignments of various Radioisotope-based products
and radiation processing services were provided by BRIT.
The newly developed T3/T4 Magnetic paticle based Radioimmunoassay (RIA) kits have
been introduced in the market for thyroid hormone investigations.
BARC has recently developed the Vapour Compression (VC) technology for sea water
desalination and a 50,000 litres / day VC desalination plant has been installed and
commissioned successfully.

Space
Major Achievements of DoS during the Eleventh Five Year Plan Period:
The Eleventh period witnessed significant progress in Indian Space capabilites. The static
test of S200 (solid booster) was successfully conducted at Satish Dhawan Space Centre
(SDSC), Sriharikota on January 24, 2010, the successful test of S200 makes it the third
largest solid booster in the world. The second static testing of the liquid one stage (L110) of
GSLV-MK-III was successfully conducted for 200 seconds at Liquid Propulsion Systems
Centre (LPSC) test facility at Mahendragiri in 2010, L110 is one of the heaviest earth
storable liquid stages ever developed by ISRO. The first experimental launch of GSLV MK-III
is planned in 2012. Launch and operationalisation of GSAT-8, GSAT-12, INSAT-4E, and 52
satellites are some of the important achievements of the period. CARTOSAT-2B, IMS-1,
RISAT-2, RESOURCE SAT-2 Indian Remote Sensing series of satellites were other
important initiatives during the period Work on Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
(IRNSS) has been initiated. The work on development of spacecraft and scientific
instruments has been initiated. Indias first unmanned Moon Mission Chandrayaan-1 was
successfully launched on 22 October 2008 onboard PSLV C-11. The scope of international
cooperation has been become wider and diverse as ISRO has made tremendous progress
in recent time. Format MoU or Agreements have been entered into with several countries
towards harnessing the space technology for mutual benefit.

Earth Science
Major achievements of Minister of Earth Science during the Eleventh Plan Period.
A new Global System (GFS) T382L64 with latest version of data assimilation Scheme (GSI)
has been implemented for operational weather forcasts.
Cloud - Aerosol Interaction and percipitation Enhancement Experiement (CAIPEEX),
Phase-II of the programme was successfully carried out in 2010.

 34 Electronic Display Board (EDB) in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry,

Maharashtra and Andaman were installed to enhance the reachability of PFZ and OSF
advisories and Tsunami warning to a wider section of people along Indian Coasts.
Two Low Temperatrue Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant in Islands of Agati and Minicoy
has been set up recently, the work to establish LTTD plant at Tuticorin thermal plant station
is being undertaken.
India made its first partial submission for an extended continental self to commission on the
Limits of the continental Self (CLCS) on 16 August 2010.
The Phase-I construction activities of the Indian Reseach Base at the Larsemann Hills
commenced during 2010.
Forecasting services for monsoons and other weather / climate parameters, ocean state,
earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena related to earth systems were provided
through well-integrated pogramme.

Biotechnology
Major Achievements of DBT during the Eleventh Five Year Plan Period:
Presently 63 Post graduate teaching programmes in various areas of biotechnology
namely General Biotechnology, Agriculture Biotechnology etc. are being supported all over
the country. In the project on development of Transgenic cotton for resistence lines of cotton
(coker 310-FR) carrying the cry 1 AC gene for attaining resistence to Helicoverpa amigera
developed. Conservation and augmentation of two predotors, viz. Dipha aphidivora and
Micronus igorotus was achieved, which supressed sugarcane aphid populations. Under the
Bamboo Demonstration Programme nearly 380-ha has been planted with tissue culture
material. A novel and potent anthrax vaccine which includes mutants of legal factor and
edema factor was developed which provides better efficacy in vivo. Oligonucleotide probe for
monitoring vibro counts in hatcheries were designed. Neuro Peptides synthesis was
explored from Indian cone snails and conus peptide sequence was worked out.
A rapid diagnostics test system for filariasis (signal MF) has been commercially launched.
A joint programme with NTPC has been planned to formulate programme on carbon
sequestration using biotechno-logical tools. The Biotech Park initiative at Bengaluru,
Karnataka is being pursued for the promotion of PPP. Several bioactive nematophila have
been identified. A HCV test based on designer diagnostic HCV multi-epitope protein
developed by the centre has been marketed in India.
Some of the important achievements in the field of crop biotechnology include:
transformation technologies for rice for salinity and drought tolerance; molecular marker for
wheat quality traits. Two candidate vaccines on rotavirus developed under INDO-US Vaccine
Action Programme, have been found to be safe in clinical settings. Limbal stem cells have
been successfully used to repair cornea surface disorders. Technologies have also been
developed for the manufacture of nutrient supplements, health foods, fruit juice processing,
production of natural food additives, oil and fat modification, ensuring food quality/safety,
biodegradable food packaging and production of chitosan based packaging films. A
technology developed for the high density culture of Vero cells of an Indian strain of
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has been transferred under a memorandum of agreement
to International Panacea, New Delhi.

Space and Technology

Major Achievements of DST during the Eleventh Five Year Plan Period:
R&D efforts have led to six product patents filed both in India and abroad, 29 process
patents, and synthesis of over 280 New Chemical Entities (NCEs) resulting in around 25

lead molecules. Inter- governmental agreements for cooperation in S& T were signed with
16 countries, which include Canada, China, Colombia, the EU, Islamic Republic of Iran,
Iceland, Italy, Laos, Mozambique, South Korea, Serbia and Montenegro, Sudan, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand and USA. Detailed protocols on IPR were also signed with Canada,
Israel, USA and Switzerland. Eight joint centres were also set up with active cooperation of
some of the bilateral partner countries, namely, Indo-French Centre on Organic Synthesis,
IISc., Bangalore; Indo-French Laboratory for Solid State chemistry, IISc, Bangalore; IndoRussian Centre for Ayurvedic Research, Moscow; Indo-Russian Centre for Gas Hydrate
Studies, NIOT, Chennai; Indo-Russian Centre for Earthquake Research, Indian
Meteorological Department (IMD), New Delhi; Indo-French Institute of Mathematics,
Mumbai, and Indo-Russian Centre for Biotechnology, Allahabad. Several new programmes
have also been launched during the Eleventh Plan period, which include: Indo-Israel
Industrial R&D Cooperation, Indo-Russian Technology Centre, Indo-UK Science and
Innovation Council, Indo-Russian S& T Cooperation in cutting-edge areas, Indo-Canadian
S& T Cooperation in cutting-edge areas, and establishment of Joint Bilateral Centres of
Excellence in the areas of Non-ferrous Metallurgy, Biomedical Technology and Lasers and
Accelerators.

Scientific and Industrial Research

Major Achievements of DSIR/CSIR during the Eleventh Five Year Plan Period:
Isolation of a compound from the leafs of the betel plant (piper betel) that is able to induce
death of cancer cells in chronic myeloid leukemia; crude extract prepared from a marine
organism (mussel) by the enzyme-acid hydrolyzing process shows a potent anti- malarial
activity when examined for in-vitro cultures of Plasmodium falciparum in human erythrocytes;
isolation of a natural compound from Boswellia species, and alternatively prepared its semisynthetic compounds for cancer of colon, prostrate, liver, breast, central nervous system,
leukaemia and malignancy of other tissues, including as cites and solid tumours; herbal
formulation from the plant extract of Cedrus deodar for the treatment of cancer, developed a
herbal medicament which has shown promising anti- stroke activity along with antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties on pre-treatment in rats; developed a process for the oral
delivery of insulin and also of hepatitis B vaccine, this new invention is a boon to the diabetic
population showing the reduction of blood glucose levels comparable to that of the injectable
insulin; isolated the first biologically derived molecule ATB 1 that inhibits HJV-1 protease.

Twelfth Plan Policy and Approach

As the Indian economy and society grow and modernize, the Indian Science and Technology
landscape also has to change to meet the magnitude of demands being made. The change
should take care of the new responses needed including delivery models for innovative
deployment of technologies and business models for financing deployment of innovations.
This would require adjustment in the existing governance and management models in our
universities, research institutions and laboratories for supporting strategic goals in this area.
Current practices and policies do not promote this objective sufficiently. This calls for a well
enunciated Science, Technology and Innovation policy, which is supported by an ecosystem
that addresses the national priority for inclusive and accelerated growth. It is with this
conviction that twelfth Five Year Plan approach to S&T has emphasized the following:
There is a wide range of areas that would require breakthrough innovations and
significance S&T inputs. These include energy, water management, farm production, medical
research, waste disposal, health care, communications, and so on. In order to play a
productive and appropriate role to service these national needs, several critical decisions
which effect the S&T system are needed.

 We must take steps to ensure that total expenditure in R&D increases to 2.0 per cent of
GDP by the end of the Twelfth Plan. This could consist of about 1.0 per cent in the public
sector organisations are far too small. They should be incentivised to make larger provisions.
this should not just be for in-house R&D, but also they should R&D in research institutions
and universities.
It is necessary to create a framework that takes into account the entire life cycle of ideas
beginning with discovery/creation to commercialization, extension and value addition. It is
sucess in this area alone that can stimulate appropriate innovation across the wider system.
To achieve this, current institutional structures and mechanism would require:

A holistic approach to public funding of Research and Development (R&D) for

socially relevant projects and treat the entire knowledge domain of R&D as
connected.

Much larger base of full time researchers and flexibility in hiring them;

Greater autonomy to work in a clearly defined charter;

More flexibility to the younger generation of scientists to pursue their ideas and
greater mobility between industry, academia and R&d institutions;

Strengthen gender parity initiatives in R&D sector by way of mobility and suitable
parameters for women re-entry programmes in R&D.

Enhanced scope and process of inter-institutional and International collaborative

research;

Significant participation of soio-economic Ministries and States in technology

deployment process;

A culture of world class publicly owned and privately/autonomous managed S&T

institutions;

A well-crafted strategy for technology acquisition in high-tech areas;

Significant changes in HR, financing, procurement policies and importantly a

transparent perfor-mance appraisal system.

Significant changes will have to be brought in current interaction of publicly-owned S&T

establishment with industry, both in public and private sector. This should result in a
significant enhance-ment of the private sector R&D expenditure, which is presently
estimated at around 25.0 per cent of national R&D expenditure to at least 50.0 per cent in
the Twelfty Plan.
The innovative component of several technologies that have been developed by the three
strategic Departments of Atomic Energy, Space and Defence Research and Development,
for their own respective needs, could trigger unique mechanisms for encouraging innovation
and ensuring the right impact on social, industrial and strategic sectors in the Twelfth Plan.
Linkage with the industry associations in another dimension which would need additional
thrust in the Twelfth Plan.
National Missions
PAN India mission mode projects addressing National needs and priorities should be
launched, through extensive participation of stakeholders, in the areas of health, water,
energy, food and environment security with the objective to achieve the goals and targets in
a defined time frame.
Major research concerns for Agriculture sector relate to water management, soil
degradation and fatigue; genetic erosion, increasing biotic and abiotic pressures; inefficient
energy management; inadequate markets and unfavourable trade, increasing knowledge

lag; management and protection of farm produce and harvest and post-harvest losses.
Furthering R&D efforts in precision agriculture using space technology inputs for detailed
assessment of biotic and abiotic and abiotic stresses, creation of spectral library for various
crops and aoils and application of microwave remote sensing and polarimetry for soil
moisture, crop identification etc., is essential. Resource Conservation Technologies for
improving input use efficiency and choice and responsible use of biotechnology tools and
realistic assessment of their potential in crop and livestock improvement are essentially
needed for new generation designer crop plants; bio-fortification of staple food crops, prebreeding for resistance/tolerance to various stresses; microbial genomics in search of new
genes; and research solutions for secondary agriculture. There is also a need to review the
present state of agriculture education with the aim at improving and sustaining quality of
higher agriculture education for addressing emerging challenges for livelihood security and
sustainable develop-ment. It is also necessary to re-examine the architecture of agricultural
extension services in the country.
Dialogue with Other Countries
We must expand the scope of our dialogue with both and advanced and emerging
economics in the sphere of defining S&T focus areas and avenues for exchange of
information and purposeful collaboration.
The Twelfth Plan must identify half-a-dozen areas where our key technological competency
can allow us to conduct this dialogue at the level of peers and permit participation in
international projects. This will also place us in a better position to carry forward S&T
dialogue with other developing nations.
Expansion of Basic Science
The energization of S&T activities cannot be de-linked from expansion and depending of
basic science teaching and research in our centres of scientific learning (universities and
teaching institutes). The creation of greater infrastructure and more project-related funding
for expanding the quality of basic science teaching and basic science research is, in the
ultimate analysis, a prior condition for the expansion of the scope of S&T intervention in the
development of the wider economy and society.
The institutional concepts which were initiated in earlier Five Year Plans, like the Inter
University Centres and Inter-Institutional for enhancing research and educational linkages for
Universities, are to be expanded further to cover many other inter-disciplinary research
areas such as Earth System Science, Life Sciences, Computational Science, Cognitive
Science, GIS etc., during the Twelfth Plan to bring about functional connectivity across
universities and domain institutions. This would also help overcome regional disparities in
the quality of education / research.

Innovation
The role of innovation in spurring growth, overcoming natural resource constraints and
unleashing Indian energies and synergies is widely recognised all over the world.
Recognising the importance of innovation, the President of India has declared this decade
as the decade of innovation, with a focus on inclusive growth.
Government has a critical role to play in strengthening the innovation ecosystem. It must
provide the enabling policy interventions, strengenthen knowledge infra-structure, create
markets for innovations through the stimulus of Government procurement, improve interinstitutional collaborations, provide a mechanism for funding business innovations at all
levels especially SMEs, and provide vision through a national level roadmap for innovations.
To spur the Indian innovation ecosystem, the Prime Minister has set up a National Innovation
Council (NInC) with the mandate to formulate a Roadmap for Innovations for 2010-20 with a

focus on inclusive growth. Principal initiatives already undertaken by the Council and some
other innovative programs of the Government are mentioned here.
To plug this vital gap in the innovation ecosystem, the National Innovation Council is
considering the need for a professionally manged India Inclusvie Innovation Fund which will
invest in innovative enterprises engaged in providing solutions for the botoom of the
pyramid. It will focus on innovations that will produce socially useful outcomes for poorer
people and enterprises which are focussed on delivering these. The Fund will also provide
support for mentoring entrepreneurs to build their enterprises and achieve desired
outcomes. The Fund will be built upon seed capital from the Government multiplied by
contributions from various Indian public sector enterprises, banks, private investors,
corporates and investment firms. Several international funds whose mission is to support
social entrepreneurship have expressed interest in participating in such a Fund if it were
sponsored by the Indian Government. The structure of the Fund and its governance is now
being designed.
Affordable and accessible products and services of good quality must be the primary
outcome of the countrys frugal innovation thrust. Experience of sucessful innovations, such
as the low cost eye and heart surgery models, as well in the micro-finance industry, shows
that the employment of the countrys low cost pool of skill-able people in the production and
distribution of the products and services is a key to enabling their affordability and
accessibility. Such innovative models also increase oppotunities for increasing employment
and improving the lives of the people who are part of the production and distribution process.
Innovations in Government
Innovations should also be encouraged within Government structures and process to
enable improved service delivery and create more transparency and account-ability in the
system.
Government is also leveraging ICT to reduce pendency in the legal system, encourage a
move towards e-governance, e-procurement and e-tendering. It is also undertaking an
ambitious initiative to connect 250,000 Panchayats with fiber-based broadband to improve
governance and service delivery at the last mile. GIS mapping will also be applied more
extensively to improve land record management and delivery of services in urban and rural
areas.
NInC is encouraging the States to set up State Innovation Councils to stimulate the
ecosystems for innovation in their states. Currently, 13 State Government have constituted
State Innovation Councils. Using the broad templates suggested by NIC they will develop
interventions to suit their states specific needs. In this way the national Innovation agenda
will combine with other thrusts for improvement of governance and service delivery
described elsewhere in the Approach to introduce more flexibility and innovation in centrally
schemes and thus improve the efficiency and inclusiveness of the growth process.
Innovative programmes and policies are required at the Centre as well as in the States of
ICT to permeate rapidly in the country and enable India to achieve its goal of more inclusive
and faster growth. The country must provide affordable and accessible education, skill
development, healthcare, and financial services, very rapidly and on a very large scale. The
large opportunity for expansion of ICT services in India should attract foreign technological
capabilites. The Twelfth Plan must stimulate widerspread deployment of ICT in the country to
accelerate inclusive growth.
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