Knowledge Commission moots adoption of GIS in Karnataka

The Commission, under the Chairmanship of former ISRO Chairman K Kasturirangan, submitted its final set of recommendations to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar here today.

It also felt that Karnataka-GIS would be useful in spatial assessment of disparity and gaps and goal-based performance monitoring which would bring focus on scientific and rational developments in various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure and rural development.

The knowledge index for tracking and measuring knowledge creation, dissemination and application could facilitate a knowledge map, register or atlas which would throw light on the developments in every district.

The Commission also called for increasing public spending on drugs from seven per cent to 15 per cent of Government expenditure on health care. "This would substantially increase the availability of free essential medicines and likely to avoid chronic scarcity in public health facilities".

An efficient and reliable medicine supply systems, reconfiguration of medicine procurement and supply chain system through a centralised procurement and decentralised distribution model were also recommended.

The Commission wanted the Government to set up Karnataka student scholarship and loan authority to coordinate, disburse and manage scholarships and loans to students who pursue higher education in the State.

It also recommended establishing an independent academy for all issues pertaining to teachers like recruitment, foundation/induction training, periodic capacity building, assessment, professional development, ethics, accountability, research and database.

The Commission also mooted devising a mechanism to bring synergy among different skill development initiatives being undertaken by the State, and also developing a robust manpower planning for Karnataka.

Kasturirangan said the recommendations are aimed at making the State knowledge-vibrant, while Shettar said the Government would seek to implement them.