Empowered Technology Group

Syllabus subtopic: Structure, Organization and Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary

Prelims and Mains focus: about the group: its mandate and significance

News: The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of an empowered technology group to help address issues such as “sub-optimal industrial development”.

About the group

The 12-member panel will be headed by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA).

The decision to set up such a group was based on recommendations of a committee led by the Principal Scientific Adviser.

The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) chairs the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), which includes industrialists, scientists and technocrats and is tasked with recommending policy action on science and technology as well as coordinating between different Ministries.

Mandate

Among the key issues, the group will address is “dual-use technologies not being optimally commercialised”. Dual-use technologies have civilian and military applications.

The group is expected to develop in-house expertise in aspects of policy and use of emerging technologies, and ensure sustainability of technology being developed at public sector organisations.

The group would also work to

ensure that India had an updated map of technology and technology products available and being developed;
develop an “indigenisation road map” for selected key technologies;
encourage Union Ministries and departments and State governments to develop in-house expertise in policy; and
use aspects of emerging technologies.

The group will also facilitate cross-sector collaborations and research alliances with universities and private companies and formulate “standards and a common vocabulary” to screen proposals for research and development.

Significance of the move

Today, all the Ministries procure their own technology, but they don’t know if it’s the latest. This group will give advice to all ministries, agencies and PSUs.

The move would be useful to coordinate research.

Source: The Hindu

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