Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology on Saturday called for providing conducive environment to the scientists and researchers for optimum utilisation of their abilities and skills in the country for a better tomorrow.
Science and technology plays vital role in the socio-economic development of a country and we must focus our attention to strengthen research and development to take on the challenges of the 21st century. This was observed by the committee during its separate visits to the Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) and National Physical Standards Laboratory (NPSL).
The committee chaired by Senator Mrs Razina Alam Khan, was also given a detailed briefing on the overall working, performance and achievements of the PCRET and NPSL. It appreciated the process of restructuring of the ministry of science and technology (MoST) and expressed the hope that it would lead to better results.
It urged the ministry of science and technology to set up training institutes for imparting skills to the common man in different marketable trades especially in renewable energy technologies, which would help alleviate poverty.
It was proposed that research and development organisations should be linked to industry to improve their working. Earlier, the committee was given a detailed briefing by the secretary, MoST about PCRET and the steps taken to create a renewable energy culture in the country. He highlighted the role of energy in the industrial and technological advancement.
He said upgradation and establishment of new state-of-the-art R&D facilities is the need of the hour to cater to growing need of energy. He said shortage of qualified technical manpower and poor pay and service structure are the main hurdles, which hampered the pace of work.
Director General, NPSL informed the committee about the achievements of the organisation to maintain the international system of measurement and to meet the demands of the potential customers from industrial trade, research and development organisations for calibration, measurement and analysis in the country. He briefed about the problems, issues, and future vision of the NPSL.