also affected rural life styles, sometimes irrerversibly . Modern fertiliser and agro chemicals based high yield agriculture ,health 266.
services, electricity ,radio,television ,bus services, agro machineryand plastic footwear are a few examples.However ,there has 267.
been an asymmetry between the rural and urban areas.Since urban areas are centres of industrial and business activities and 268.
also seats of political power, many facilities for better life are first established there. The economies of scale would also be 269.
citied as being influential in people taking such decisions .Wealth begets wealth .Higher economic activity begets more 270.
economic activites and therefore more Many underempolyed persons move to the other cities in search of 271.
a better life.Per se this is not bad.But on the other handattentions given to modern facilities in the rural areas is poor.
272.
A good doctor would not like to stay in a village, nor would agood teacher .The asyemmtry that is thus created takes a toll 273.
on the cities as well.Most cities are becoming unlivable asabout 50 per cent of their inhabitants live in slums or near 237.
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slum conditions, or live so far away that tire themselves in commuting .A number of studies have shown that beyond a size,it becomes much costlier to provide services to the increasing population in a city than to establish a new city!
The new cities need not be brand new.Let us look at the nature of modern Industries and the emerging scenario.The ma.s.s production of yesteryears is only confined to a few areas.It is possible to have a number of decentralized industries which maintain world cla.s.s levels and become part of a globally competive industry have made global connectivity instantaneous.
Therefore it is possible to connect cl.u.s.ters of villages through a nearly Annular ring of roads ,with traffic designed in such a way that movement from one Village to another can be quick and convenient .This helps in many ways .Many agro Industries ,services industries and even high tech concerns can be relocated in such Villages by moving a few government offices and providing special concessions for industries .Once the process starts,economic activities will take care of the rest.These cl.u.s.ters have to be managed in an imaginative fashions and intelligentia Which will move in .The vision includes the building of many such cl.u.s.ters all Over the India a few cl.u.s.ters.
Indian technology and foreign claimants One aspect which is interesting is how,whenever India achieves something that is Commendable,the developed nations tend to trace it to some knowhow ,equipments Or manpower that was provided by the `west.For instance ,in July 1980,when we Launched our first satillete launch vehicle and put the Rohini satellite into orbit ,India Became one of four nations to have a satellite launch facility.But within a week ,a news item originated from the USA saying that I had a few months trannings at NASA .In germany they claimed that the wind tunnel test was carried out in their facility ,and so they had indirectly enabled the launch.
When we heard the news about the reaction of the western scientists, technologists and the press the general Response of my team of scientists and technologists at Vikram Sarabhai s.p.a.ce Center (VSSC) ,Trivandrum was one of the great amus.e.m.e.nt .We knew that thousands of scientists ,engineers and staff had worked on the project from the drawing board to the development stage and right through till the 238.
launch .The technology was completely indigenous .The SLV used proportional control systems with a sharing logic software .This was a first in the world Similarly ,we had made other innovation in comparison to any launch vehicle at that point of time .As for the Scout ,the American satiellite launch from which our technology was alleged to be lifted ,only the fifth launch of the Scout had proved successful.In the comparison ,our second ,third and fourth launches were all successful .This is a pointer to the technological strength of our nations .
Again , when I was involved in the Guided Missile programme and we successfully launched the Prithvi missile several times ,western press including some of our own a.n.a.lysis insisted that we were using a Russians technology . In fact ,Prithvi had a distinctive design ,using a particular gyro system with a uniquely configured software ,which n.o.body in the world had tried when the flight is in progress ,the drift can be monitored through the on board computer .It had other innovations too: the type of thrust termination is so innovatively configured that for a multiple payload ,multiple ranges can be achieved .Today ,Prithvi is comparable to any worldcla.s.s in payload capability .
Let us come now to a third ,very important milestone ,namely Agni in 1989 and it was successful.We have So far done three launches .Surprisingly ,again there were two claimants who wanted to take credit for the success.Germany said that their guided system which was used for scientific experiments in India had gone into the making of Agni .And the USA claimed again that my NASA training was responsible for Agni .Actually ,in Agni,there were innovations made in the complete reentry hypersonic flow was simulated in the Computational Fluid Dynamics in one of the best computers that we ourselves had designed.The reentry structure ,in fact ,has used a specially designed o material to withstand the 3500 C heat generated upon reentering the atmosphere .It is only with their technology ,that India can succeed. Recently two departments ,the Departments of Atomic Energy and the DRDO ,working in an excellent Partnership,tested several nuclear devices in Pokhran .Three tests were carried out simultaneously there were two More tests subsequently .We had excellent results ,well reported universally by nearly 125 seismic stations .This Indicates that has reached the stage of nuclear weaponization .We were extremely happy with our achievement .But the next day we found the western press alleging that Israeli technology had gone into the 239.
triggering system of the nuclear device.There was also the familiar accusation that the scientists and technicians who had visited the USA had helped India achieve this breakthrough .This was multiple innovation have gone into the nuclear technology and nuclear device testing area.
In all four of these cases,I was fortunate to be continuously involved directly or indirectly in various teams of ISRO ,DAEA and DRDO.I find myself asking why in spite of innovative and excellent design capabilities in India,an impressions is created by the that no one other than the developed nations can achieve such technological excellence .Just as there has been a racial element is entering into the technological arena too.Developed nations feel that only they are capable of developing certain types of aeros.p.a.ce ,missile and nuclear technology .But we should ignore this and go ahead with our technology development.
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Chapter 12.
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Realizing the Vision I have learnt to use the word "impossible" with the greatest caution.
Wernher Von Braun A very high level committee ,working on a matter of vital importance for India ,once called a press conference to share their forthcoming recommendation with media persons .A young reporter got up and asked ,"We have seen or heard of many such reports .When will action be taken on them ?"The chairman of the committee gave an evasive reply.Then a member of the committee intervened ,"We generate many reports .There are many reporters like you to reports the news .Reports and reporters do we need action .
Somehow over the years ,we have developed a habit of giving low priority to actual action on the ground .Often people are keen on getting huge publicity in the newspapers or the electronic media ,while announcing their programmes or polices.Public memory is short .n.o.body bothers to ask whether something is being done to Implement them even after a year !Still ,there are a number of persons who do keep pushing against heavy odds to do something concrete.Because of them ,there is some progress in our country .We would like to see that in the coming years actual achievements in the TIFAC Technology Vision 2020 reports can the country be geared up for action to realize the new vision for India 2020 ?We believe that it can.People may ask why we think will be action now ,when earlier there was a relative slack.The answer,we believe ,lies in appreciating that a large part of our population is young for them .Besides ,even those who had earlier worked for "blocking" some initiatives would like to see an "opening up".The earlier system whereby all initiatives were left to a few departments in New Delhi has fast undergone a change .The licenepermit quota raj has been substantially dismantled .This has unleased a large amount entrepreneurial talent and adventurous spirit in India.Many younsters are prepared to explore new avenues of work and employment and not wait for a secure job in Government.The explosive growth in television ,thanks primarily to satellite communication ,exposes .We believe that a spate of actions would follow along the lines which will be described here.
A restatement of the vision 241.
Let us have a brief overview of the vision which we envisage for our people .
India should become a developed nation by 2020 .
A developed India means that India will be one of the five biggest economic powers ,having selfreliance in national security.Above all ,the nations will be have a standing in world economic and Policial for a.
To achieve this status ,several steps are to be taken in agriculture such as making eastern India a granary and increasing the use of hybrid rice ,as also for improving the other products.Environmental Considerations in agriculture gain attention .
Capitalize on the agricultural core strengths to establish a major value adding agro food Industry based on cereals,milk,fruits,and vegetables ,to generate domestic wealth .Also , Make India a major exporter of valueadded agrofood products .Agro food industry and distribution systems should increasingly productive and efficient agriculture.
A number of engineering industries and service businesses to grow around the agro food Sector .
India to capitalize on the vast mineral wealth to emerge as a major technological global power in various advanced and commercial materials :steel ,t.i.tanium,aluminium,rare earths.
Indian chemical industry to be transformed into a global technological innovator in clean Processes and speciality chemicals ,and new drugs and pharmaceuticals a major business Should be createdIndian marine resources are to be transformed into economic strength .
There is to be a resources of Indian engineering industry :machine tools,textiles ,foundry, 242.
electrical ,machinery ,and transport equipment .India is to become a net exporter of technology by 2010 in these areas and an important world leader in embodied software field of flexible manufacturing and intelligent manufacturing.
India should emerge as a global leader in the services sector with its vast and skilled human resources base being its core strength.The services will range from the simple to the most sophisticated ones using the emerging digital revolution.The services sector is not only to bea money spinner but will also employ a good proportion of our people moften in self skills to super to super skills .
While India needs to pay most attention to making her a developed country ,attention should also be paid to the strategic sectors.The confluence of civilian and defence technological is leading to a situation where most new technologies are basically "dual use"
In nature .A carbon composite material can go into making a tennis racquet or a FRO capliper device for polioaffected patients and also for a missile system.A computer can do simulations for a civilian product ,for rapid prototyping or the suitability of market conditions for a future aircraft or weapon performance.These dual technologies" are closely guarded by the developed countries under the premise of nonproliferation of Nuclear weapons as well!These will lead to domestic and foreign business orders for Indian companies even when they are not necessarily for the use of ISRO,DRDO or the atomic Energy Departments .The value additions would be very high.To continue as an economic power ,therefore India has to master the strategic technologies as well .though in The short run they appear to be highcost technologies .Fortunately .Indian laboratories and industries have an excellent base in these technologies and have a.s.sumed a leading position globally in a number of areas of .Materials, electronics, propulsion, simulation, 243.
among others. India needs to further strengthen these areas with concrete missions focused on dual use capabilities. That is, to develop a generic technology common to defence while simultaneously developing multiple civilian applications on a commercial scale. Therefore, it is necessary to draw Indian industry, especially the private sector, into these hightech areas not merely for fabrication but for design, development, production, marketing and postsale services. India should also emerge as a major exporter of products and services resulting from its capabilities in high tech areas.
The health of all our people is vital even while we arepursuing the allround rapid growth of the economyand technological prowess. People"s health leads to better economic and social progress. Many recent technological inventions are making it possible to reach health services to all. sensors and information technologies in particular, are making it possible for access of specialist attention to even remote areaspopularly called "tele medicine" .India should attend to shortterm rapid action and emerge as a nation with excellent health service cover which would be an example health service cover which would be an example to the world.
In order to achieve the vision , several crucial actionsneed to be taken to ensure speedier growth ofinfrastructure: energy, quality electric power inparticular,roads, waterways, airways, telecommunication,ports, etc. Several shortterm measures and some unconventional steps need to be taken. The longtermaction should be aimed at providing worldcla.s.s facilitiesfor all parts of India.Rural connectivity is crucial evenin the short run if the boom in agriculture and agrofood sector is to be utilized fully.In addition ,the progress in information technologies is leading to the possibility of very advanced worldcla.s.s industries andbusinesses being established in a village.Highly creativeprojects in software, information technology, designand other crteative work can in fact be better done in a rural environment which has good facilities and good facilities and goodconnectivity.
The persons who live there should have accessto the latest information available globally if they have tobe creative and current. Such connectivity can be 244.
providedby electronic means even today. Thus, there is a truepossibility of many of our wellconnected rural areasbecoming worldcla.s.s centers of excellence and also making for a lot of valueadded exports or vigorous domesticbusiness, besides giving us food and other products whichnormally come from rural areas. There are also excellent possibilities that such wellconnected rural areas may behost to a number of biotechnology factories which willproduce valueadded natural products for sale globally.But all these are possible only with an excellent ruralconnectivity which means good roads, telecommunications and of course, quality electric power.Given the devolution of power to the panchayats, they ca.n.a.lso play a major role, with compet.i.tion as well ascooperation between the village panchayat enhancingperformance.Now, let us look at how this vision can be realized and who allWill have to propel it towards fulfillment.
Our actions Before writing this chapter we had a lot of discussion amongstOurselves about the action to be undertaken. We also had theBenefit of discussions with many people, from well educatedHousewives to professionals and to social scientists in the fieldsof history, psychology and economics. We also spoke to anumber of "ordinary" people who are concerned about India,as also with some yongsters and a few politicians. Dr kalamhad the benefit of discussions with a number of those whowere and are in power. Everywhere there was a genuineinterest to act, to break the vicious cycle of pessimism andinaction.
However, a major but unstated problem is how to initiatesuch action. There were a number of suggestions for others toact upon : somebody should write a report or should convencea meeting or hold a workshop or bring it up before the cabinetor should write to the Prime Minister , a chief minister ,or theplanning commission. On one hand ,we were very happy with people"s positive att.i.tude and willingness to work for a newvision for India. It appeared that many people would be ready to make some sacrifices.On the other hand, after a lot of thinking, we decided that we should not put forth a general setof programmes for action. Given the present situation in India,we cannot expect an ideal,wellsynchronized set of activities.Looking back at India"s struggle for the first vision forIndependence, we do not believe that all actions took 245.
placeSimultaneously.People acted spontaneously , sometimes evenClumsily and the freedom movement was launched. We believethat all of us Indians shoyld actually do something. We needto initiate action with an overall vision of developed India.particularly on the lines given above.For this, some part of ourtime and energy too keeping with this vision.There is a tendency in our country to advise others.In away , this .H.
is good owever , we believe that those who adviseshould also act . Then the advice becomes much more effective.We decided that we should also take action and in the past twoyears we have been doing this within our limited capabilities.One of our endeavours has been the creation of awareness thatIndia has to become big and strong. And to reach that status ,We do not always have to take big steps .There are several smallsteps which can take the present India to a status of big India.This is an important message that we have been successful inconveying to people.In addition ,the Technology InformationFore casting and a.s.sessment council (TIFAC)has formed actionteams to formulate concrete projects in most sectors.These will become the exemplars in the short ,medium and long term.Eminent Indians are partic.i.p.ating in these action teams.We have the benefit of being partners in the evolution of manysch projects.We are also aware of the number of people whovlunteered to lead and be members of such action teams.Itis a thrilling experience.In many places we havc visited,manyfine scientists and specialists are putting science in to use,totransform the lot of the poor. Such persons have sacrificed their own comforts to engage in such activity for many years.We call them"punyatmas"(good souls).we also found thatthere are many able persons at various levels in theadministration who help in this process.We may call them"punyadhikaris".
We have met and talked to them.We haveunderstood the trials and tribulations they often go through.We also received many good suggestion s from them.we arenow in search of "punyanetas". Our job is to make this golden triangle of punyatmas,Punyadhikaris and punyanetas a work countrywide ,so that lot of actions can be initiated and promoted at the gra.s.sroots level.These actions in conjunction with the work done by the actionteams of TIFAC can encourage a number of demonstrative efforts. In addition , we are also trying to convince many of the agency heads to mount major mission oriented projects during the Nineth plan period and we are a.s.sisting them in whatever way we are asked to and we can. We are putting in extra efforton weekends, holidays and 246.
even beyond office hours to help such a process. We cannot claim that these efforts are meeting with complete success. The slowness of our system makes usfeel exasperated sometimes. But there is also a positive feelingbecause there are some who are ready to move. We are hopeful. In our own way, we will continue to put in our efforts.We would also welcome suggestions from readers on what elsewe can do in our individual capacity or otherwise.
What industries can do while individual effort is crucial , another golden triangle, of industry ,government and R&D inst.i.tutions, really forms the base of a country"s development.
They set in to motiontechnologybased business activity, employment, demand creation through policies which will help businesses, and as a consequence wealth creation. This golden triangle is crucial in our competing in global markets, as well as in bringing wealth and prosperity to our people.
Having said this, let us see what we include under industries. In India we had several categories of industries. Those which are set up by the central government are generally called central public sector units (PSUs). The PSUs are technologically and managerially strong. Then there are a large number of small sized statelevel public sector units (PSUs). They fulfil very useful functions but their technological capabilities are not as much as PSUs.There are a number of big private industry groups. Many of them are family owned and a few of them are also professionally managed public limited companies. Then there are a very large number of smallscale industries, some exceptionally good, some just about surviving, and some which have gone under. There are also a number of multinational companies(MNCs) which operate in Indian laws .All these industries have a definite role to play . In addition to the existing ones many more will spring up in the coming years. Some of the existing ones may also cease operations or may graduate from one cla.s.s to another . We consider all of them as partners in the national Indian vision and progress. However, all of them cannot be doing the same kinds of activities. These will vary since their capabilities, their roles and their aspirations will be different. It is with this in view that we suggest a few steps which can be taken by industries in different categories. Also to be taken in to account are a large 247.
number of tiny units in the informal sector, some of them being almost cottageindustries or even oneperson industries.
The PSUs have done this country proud on a number of occasions. We should remember that our country was not manufacturing even simple pins prior to independence. Thus to have major industries to manufacture sophisticated equipment, machine tools, electronic products and defence machinery was a big dream. Central PSUs have purchased technologies from abroad, to a large extent from the erstwhile soviet union , and also from abroad , to a large extent from a number of other developed countries to put India firmly on the Industrial map. Today many sophisticated aircraft are manufactured in our country though they are under licensed production . This capability gives us the confidence that when an Indiandesigned Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) is successfully tested , Indian industry can take up production. The same is true of radars, submarines, electric power plants, or complicated machine tools. However, in the past two decades there has definitely been a slackening in most of the PSUs, in their technological efficiency, human productivity , raw material consumption, management leadership or export capability. It is difficult to pinpoint where the problem lies. Over a period we have got into a vicious circle, not having trusted those who work and contribute. With the emphasis on checks and balances and public accountability , and with the belief that microprocedures are more important than results, a system has developed where the empowering process is not fully operational. The chairman and managing director of a PSU feels that he gets too many instructions from the ministry the ministry officials feel that they have got bogged down in various procedures which have been setup to meet various norms of accountability. The politicians in power feel frustrated that the entire procedure has become so unwidely that they are not able to effect changes even in a full term of five years! There is a definite need to break this vicious circle. Recently, there have been steps to improve public sector efficiency.
While welcoming these steps, we believe that these actions are too small for India. We have to make all our industries into ratnas and not just few. It will require considerable amount of empowerment. We are also aware that the closure of some PSUs will be involved. This can be done by transforming the existing operations or mode of 248.
operations, and changing or discarding some of the legal, administrative and financial procedural systems!
The managements of the PSUs and those responsible for labour affairs and many of the labour leaders have to think how they can transform themselves or get rid of their dead wood, or how they can get rid of their weakness and utilize their strengths to excel in order to realize a vision . They should be able to make an important contribution even if by means of a partnership with another PSU, another industry ,or an industry in the smallscale sector or an R&D lab or MNC.
PSUs: What can they do?
Even while people are working for these overall changes in the PSU system, we suggest that steps to realize the vision should not cease to be taken. A few bold persons should start working towards such changes , and should be strong enough to speak about them. In addition , more important even with in the existing constraints, a few like minded persons should affirm their readiness to take action and formulate a few projects which can contribute in developing the technological core strengths of India. Then, they could work to transform the core strengths of the enterprise into wealth which would indirectly flow to the people. Such a targeted approach would need to be pursued by each of the PSUs. If we map the strengths of the Puss with respect to a number of items given for the Technology vision which we have described in the earlier chapters, we would find that there would at least be five projects. We would suggest that each PSU in multiple areas! That means a lot of projects . We would suggest that each PSU takes up at least one major project in one major sector. This is an appeal to the top and middle management as well as to the workers and the ministry officials. If they take a sincere decision amongst themselves, they can find the resources, partly internally and partly from the financial markets.
State level PSUs Much of what we have said for the central PSUs would also be applicable to the statelevel PSUs. However ,we have to recognize the fact that statelevel PSUs are not as strong as the central level PSUs in technology, management and financial resources. But they have the advantage of working in close proximity to the people of the state This is a strength . However , often in the past, many governmentsupported systems have not 249.
learnt to find out and to listen to the problems of the users and beneficiaries. Eloborate rules and procedures and guidelines are drawn up in closed office rooms.Often good ideas aregenerated but they do not relate to the realities on the ground. Thus, most contact programmes have become routine exercises. In some sense , the newer ideas of "responding to market" basically means the need to learn how people are reacting , what people want and what people expect. The statelevel PSUs have a very good possibility of fulfilling this role in terms of providing extension services and in introducing newer products of technology generated by themselves or others and also for providing many postsale services. This means ,many of them have to transform their character and pattern of working and network with other national and international actors in order to provide useful economic services in the state, outside the state and even globally. If that is done, the beneficiaries will be many. In addition, it will also provide a number of employment opportunities within the state.
But the statelevel PSUs need not confine themselves to merely activities with in the region. Some of the state level PSUs can also aspire to be as compet.i.tive globally as the Central PSUs or any other private sector industries. PSUs which can rise to the occasion should aim for this and should not be afraid of the many problems which will come in their way.
We have suggested and requested that the Central PSUs take up at least one project each in circuit sectors. Similarly, in the case of statelevel PSUs it may be good if a cl.u.s.ter of few PSUs takes up one project each in a crucial sector. This will entail working together. The proposals put forth by such PSUs will definitely generate enthusiasm though there could be some cases where they could face discouragement. But they should try. Since statelevel PSUs are very large in number, there will be several thousand such projects or tasks.
Big and mediumsize industries Certain private industries have played an important role in Indian"s industrialization even before independence. Despite constraints posed by the planned and regulated nature of the economy, our private sector has expanded in almost all sectors.
Like the public sector, it also depended on import of technologies, though many companies have subsequently been successful in increasing the local content as well as in 250.
marginal innovations .Some private sector industries have taken strides in technological development and have capabilities which are comparable to those of international levels .By and large ,by the very nature of the private sector ,there is a good deal of flexibility in their operations and they also have good management systems. some of the private sector industries have also inst.i.tuted good training programmes to upgrade their personnel. In recent times ,after the liberalization in 1991,the private Sector started playing an increasingly major role in the Indian Economy. The contribution of this sector has been recognized not only in the consumer sector, but also in infrastructure and strategic industries .In the coming years it has a most crucial role if India is to realize the vision. Since it does not have the number of procedural and inst.i.tutional constraints of the PSUs, which we hope will be removed in a few years time ,we feel that the medium and bigsize private sector industries should each own one major project in a sector to realize a vision for India .It could be in agricultural, it could be in agro food processing ,health, materials or chemicals or natural products or any other area which they think will make for a strong Indian presence globally. Since licensing has been dispensed with in most of these areas, they have the freedom to choose. We are aware of several other constraints in the system in terms of land acquisition or environment clearance or other clearances which do take time. Let this not deter them, especially for vision projects. Let them have within their own management system a fast clearance track for those projects connected with what they think will make India a developed country. They need not even be constrained by what we say in this book or any other books or reports .
While we would like to see lot of technological development taking please in India ,we would even be happy if they can get a jumpstart on visionrelated projects with technologies either from Indian labs or in certain cases with foreign collaboration. But they should bear one thing in mind: making a beginning with imported technology ,they should not be satisfied and stop there. Not should they be satisfied with marginal technological changes which can limit profits. Their goal should be to have a global presence and also to operate on such a scale that a large number of Indians would be benighted and gain employment .If each of the top and mediumsized industrialists makes this decision ,that they will implement this irrespective of what others do, we are 251.
sure will be doing India and Indian people a great service. It is not a service without profits even in the short term.
Therefore ,we would appeal to the big and mediumsize industries to mount at least one project each on their own, specially to realize the vision, in addition to their business operations and expansion plans. Some may say that it may just be a different t.i.tle for an old project. Granted there may be a few such cases. But the fact that a private industry address a vision 2020 project and gives it a special status will give a signal for many others. For any project or programme to succeed , the minimum requirements are infrastructure development such as electric power ,communication and transportation.
Industries ,particularly in the private sector ,individual or consortium mode ,should enter into a mission mode, combining it with a business code. Similarly ,the service sector offers great business opportunity.
SMALL INDUSTRIES.
Small industries ( SI) contribute more than 40 per cent of Indian industrial output. As much as 30 per cent of engineering Products exports come from SI .this sector is a large source of employment for our people. Nearly eighteen million people get direct employment. Sis have helped a great deal in import subst.i.tution ,often themselves working at very low margins of profit. However, a large number of them are not technologically strong. This situation by and large has been due to the policies of the past which did not create a climate in which technological innovations were rewired. Having said this, we cannot leave most of these small industries to market forces alone with a philosophy of let them perish or survive. One does not plead for protecting the inefficient but it is our duty to enable them to be a efficient in the past we have not provided a policy framework to support efficiency. So generally most people adopted soft options. Now we don"t have the time to follow such options. We would therefore suggest that most of these industries themselves start trying out what else can be done. Fortunately,there are several schemes by governmental agencies as well as industry a.s.sociations to help the smallscale sector for enhancing its technology and management capabilities.
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One of them is the formation of and progress made in the Technology Development Board.In addition ,let these SIs Learn to contact nearby academic inst.i.tutions or a laboratory. Let them knock at their doors and ask them for help or Cooperation. A few of the labs or inst.i.tutions will refuse ,a few will charge exorbitantly ,a few will say no and a few will talk positively but may give a delayed response. But let this not discourage them. If they keep trying ,there will be definitely some response: some state governments have already started technology Promotion centers. Of course ,a number of small industries have to learn how to change their method of functioning. They may have to change their product lines. hose who are very sick may have to think of closing down and take up a new line of activity. Let each person from the smallscale sector industry, let the owner or entrepreneur decide hat he or she has to have a vision for his or her company to excel, to contribute to change and if Necessary to innovate and to grow stronger. Even if 10 per cent of them succeed in the beginning that itself will be a large change. In the meanwhile, we believe that the movement starting with various individual actions will pick up momentum, giving a special boost for the other 90 per cent to follow. In addition, we would like to appeal to the youth to try to get into newer enterprises. Information technology and software have been given a thrust in this country. There is likelihood of easier procedures and better enabling environment, and easier availability of venture capital or bank loans. Many young entrepreneurs can enter these areas. Once they make a profit, they also enter other areas of business. A new cla.s.s small enterprises would need to in India.
We would like to emphasize that hightech activity does not mean that it has to be "jazzy". There are many things done within India which are very good and useful. often one is not aware of them. In addition to developing strengths and tarting new things we should also explore what we have and make that knowledge accessible to as many persons as possible. The initiative to tell others about what we have accomplished should come from the industries themselves. Let us look at examples cited by Dr G.venkataraman,vicechancellor,sri sathya sai inst.i.tute of Higher Learning. He was the key person and the architect of the DRDO effort to beat the technology control regime which disallowed sale of supercomputers to DRDO. We have now Anurag which 253.
provides a hardware platform for solving defense problems. In a letter to Y.S.Rajan he says ,"One problem I have faced as a scientist is the lack of information About what is available where. For example, aluminized nylon (made mainly for the zari industry and supplied to saree manufactures),happens to be very useful as a radiation shield in cryogenic systems.
We used to use the stuff in Trombay. By sheer chance we discovered a small Outfit in Ahmedabad which made the product and were able to procure our needs from that company. Similarly, once often needs electricallyconducting paste. I once stumbled on a company in Bangalore making this product. This again was by sheer chance. Suppose a scientist in Dehra Dun wants this paste. He is not aware that it is made in India. But he knows about a company in Boston which makes the same. So he imports it, when it is really not necessary. I think the time has come for our industry to prepare exhaustive product directories covering all sectors, especially related to the components level. If this information is put on a website and the web availability is widely publicized, it would be of great help to many.G.venkataraman implies that there would be thousands of such small Industries in India. Let us explore them! Also let them awake to see their own strengths!
Tiny sectors To a certain except the pressures of the smallscales sector would have an effect on the tiny sectors. Also a growing nation would have many changes in consumption patterns and demands. these changes could help some tiny sectors and some may be adversely affected. One cannot leave these tiny sectors to themselves. This is where governmental and social interventions are definitely called for. In this vital area we think the role of nongovernmental organizations(NGO),and the governmental support, including through its administration, is very important. Their scope should not be merely to make them survive, but also to enable them to change to newer patterns. This would require marketing of skills. This is a complex task. Government policy has to evolve in this respect. The private sector can also take initiative in adopting tiny sectors nearby and help them to upgrade skills by a.s.suring them of a market for their products. In the coming months and years, we also, in our small way, would like t6o concentrate on and remove the bottlenecks in some of these areas because the people of 254.
this sector need help. We are attempting to do this in a number of places in the country.
If they are not taken care of, as India grows, they may relapse into poverty. It is more painful to slip back into poverty after enjoying some benefits of life. It is much more painful than being born poor and living in poverty. The tiny industries sector can be used to take development technology into the rural areas.
MINCs and foreign ent.i.ties Our vision of India, in keeping with our great traditions of the past, is not xenophobic. While we emphasize the Indian core strengths and "made in India" concepts ,these are to ensure employment for our people, to create prosperity for them and to ensure the longterm viability of such prosperity. A number of MNCs came to Indian in the past and contributed significantly to it. Many more are coming in ,with a number of them thinking in terms of a longterm relationship. In a way the "sactions" being "imposed" would also help to identify which foreign companies desire a longterm relationship with India! India needs foreign direct investments and foreign technologies without a time lag. In about a decade Indian technological and business strengths will grow tremendously. Indian companies may also emerge as MNCs operating in different parts of the world. They would sell technologyintensive products and services as well as export technologies. Even beyond 2020, India would continue to attract foreign direct investment. A developed and technologically strong country with a onebillionplus prosperous population would definitely be the ideal market for any business person or entrepreneur. We also feel that many foreign researches would come in search of projects or partners in India.
The immediate actions for MNCs and foreign ent.i.ties would be for them to have their mission compatible with India"s interests and its core strengths. To create a win win situation, they should, of their own, initiate projects which will enhance technological capabilities and spread the effects of prosperity. Their large publicity mechanism can also attend to specific Indian concerns. In order to initiate action in this direction, they need to interact with many Indian groups to understand their concerns. We do realize that foreign companies are here to do business, make profit and to create conditions for continued and growing profit. But they can also set apart 10 per cent of their operations for creating conditions in India for it to become a developed nation and 255.
for its people to be prosperous without continued dependence on others for technology.
In turn ,market potential will increase. Is it Utopian to think thus? Will somebody not so strong strong enough to be equal? In the long run India is going to become strong! Those who are partners in that ventures now will definitely stand to gain. We have the above thoughts for MNCs and foreign ent.i.ties presently in India and who may come in the near future. They have their "thinktanks". We hope they will capture the message for actions.
Sanctions from certain foreign countries are against the concept of global village. Global markets are opening up and those affected should wage a war against this tendency.
ACADEMIC and R&D labs The nation is proud of its scientists and scholars, though, of course, many of them would replay they doubt whether the nation cares for them at all. When asked why many of our best and brightest have gone abroad to make a living, they opine that this is because as a nation we have not cared for the talented and meritorious. There is some truth in what they say. However, by and large, compared to the situation before independence, government a.s.sistance has provided a tremendous opportunity for higher education. If today Indian scientists, technologists and scholars in different fields are respected worldwide, it is because of the education system we have built up. Our excellence is evident even within the confines of the limited opportunities which are available for research and development in the universities and the national R&D laboratories. We believe and appeal those scientists, researchers and scholars should shed their pessimism. There are many reasons for being pessimistic and cynical. We are both a part of their community. We know the problems they face ,especially the younger ones ,and also those who are not in positions of power in these inst.i.tutions ,the socalled middle levels and the lower levels. We appeal to these people to think big, because they are the only ones who understand the forces of technological modernization and the new energies that can be unleashed through technologies. They also have the capability to absorb the knowledge base which is growing at an explosive rate.
There are some studies which indicate that from around the beginning of the new millennium ,the knowledge base will be doubling in less than a quarter of a year! We would request the scientists, technologists, scholars, teachers and others to ponder that in 256.