Urge to include more sectors in design policy

Visionary investment needs to be included in the National Design Policy of 2007, according to MP Ranjan, principle designer and faculty, National Institute of Design (NID).

"The budgetary allocation for design, including Rs 10 crore for NID this year was only Rs 100 crore, while it is around Rs 50,000 crore for science and technology, which is quite mismatched. Given the recognition of the design profession and of the critical activity of design with a larger role in transforming our society, this should be more inclusive," he said.

Ranjan was addressing the inaugural session of the three-day UISD 2007 conference on 'Living in digital world -- challenges for designers and engineers' , in Hyderabad on Monday.

Stating that the new design policy was late by 50 years and that it was restricted to only few areas such as automobile, jewellery, softgoods, toys and games, he said more general call for action in sectors like education, health, agriculture and rural development, would have been fruitful in focusing the energies of the government and industry towards the real needs of our economy at the macro level of policy implementation.

"Accommodating around 230 sectors of our economy including industry and commerce, education and training, business and community, and services like banking and healthcare in the policy would bring in a massive change in the design industry," he opined.