Ministry of Science and Technology has decided to establish a Science and Technology Commission (STC) to establish close working relation and co-operation among various scientific organisations currently working under the administrative control of the ministry.
This was stated by caretaker federal minister for education, science and technology, Dr Shams K Lakha during a meeting with members of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) on Friday evening. He said that the commission would adopt the working practices, suitably adjusted where necessary, of successful research and scientific organisations.
The commission would have a task to restructure all the organisations, which come under the ministry of science and technology through grouping and mergers and consequently, the acts/resolutions under which these organisations were established will have to be repealed.
The commission will comprise of 18-member board of governors (BoG) with the minister of Science and Technology as its president and a chairman, deputy chairman, five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.
Of the 10 non-permanent members, five would be representatives of the industrial sector. The chairman, deputy chairman and five full time members of the commission will constitute the executive committee to conduct the day to day affairs of the commission. The secretary minister of science and technology will be the chairman of the commission.
The first priority of the commission would be to draft a coherent science and technology policy and working relationship with industry, trade bodies and academia. Necessary measures will be taken for streamlining the science and technology and Research and Development (R&D) organisations through reorganisation and restructuring to reduce duplication of work and to improve their management capability. Rather than existing as stand alone entities, the commission will ensure that its organisations establish a co-ordinated network through sharing of expertise, knowledge and equipment's. The commission would merge 13 organisations and reduce them to eight.
The commission will define the role of its science and technology organisations in accelerating the economic and technological development of the country in coming years. It will establish close working relations and co-operation between research organisations and private sector for the efficient use of technology and identify priority areas in the short and long term to speed up economic and industrial productivity, increase exports of quality goods and machinery, reduce rising imports and encourage grater self reliance in critical areas.
Lakha said that the ministry was established in 1972 with the objective of promoting through research and development the industrial and socio-economic development of the country. The ministry has 16 organisations under its administrative control to promote science and technology in diverse areas. Majority of its organisations have not been able to play this role effectively for a number of reasons. They have remained small, stand alone autonomous bodies and, therefore, have become impractical and sub-critical organisations.
He said that these organisations have failed to attract and retain good scientists and engineers. Moreover, a low level of policy and supervisory interest in this area, decay in building, obsolete equipment's, low morale, unqualified and non-measurable activities, too many bureaucratic procedures not suitable for R&D organisations and lack of technical leadership have been the main reasons of low performance of these organisations.
He said that the ministry wanted to promote indigenous industrialisation, import substitution and enhance exports. There is an urgent need to adopt a common strategy for industrial and scientific research and development. It is necessary to create substantive work, improve infrastructure, attract professional manpower, upgrade existing R&D organisations and establish "nuclei of excellence" in the first stage and "centres of excellence" subsequently, the minister said.
He said as a first step, during the last one and half year, the ministry has brought about a noticeable positive change in the organisations under its administrative control. During this period as many as 132 projects were launched at a total cost of Rs 25.1 billion, he added.
He said that despite this positive development, the ministry has not been able to attract and retain competitive manpower and about 30 percent of the sanctioned posts, mostly for highly trained professionals, have remained vacant.
Lakha said that the purpose of his visit is to get feedback of business community. "We will also visit Lahore and other chambers and trade bodies to develop consensus and get feedback on the issue," he added.
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