Pursuant to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's keenness to boost innovation, the government has decided to push contribution of private sector in scientific research and development from the current 20 per cent to 50 per cent and undertake a number of other crucial steps.

A meeting, convened by the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary T K A Nair here to review performance of science and technology sector and related sectors, felt that investments in research and development in the country is "highly skewed" as 80 per cent of contribution comes only from the public sector.

It was noted that in advanced and emerging economies, private sector plays a dominant role in R&D and encourages innovation, sources said.

Against this backdrop, the meeting decided that contribution of private sector in scientific R&D needed to be increased from the current level of 20 per cent to 50 per cent, the sources said.

Accordingly, it was decided that secretaries concerned would jointly prepare a proposal on private sector investment in R&D by the end of next month, they said.

The decision is in pursuance with the Prime Minister's keenness to see 2010-2020 as a Decade of Innovation, making it his focus sector.


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