The government has initiated the process of filling the vacant positions in various scientific institutes across the country, including for the post of Secretary for the Department for Science and Technology, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said here today.
"We have initiated the process. We want to be open so that we (the government) and the scientific fraternity have ample opportunity to look for the right candidate," the Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences told reporters during his visit to National Physical Laboratory (NPL) here.
The NPL is a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR).
He, however, declined to give a specific time frame for the appointments.
After the retirement of Department of Science and Technology Secretary T Ramasami, additional charge has been given to K Vijay Raghavan, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology.
"We are working for over 14 hours a day on this issue. Eminent people will be appointed and decision in the interest of scientific fraternity will be taken. We are looking into it in a phased and structured manner," he said.
When asked whether Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Science has asked for more funds in the budget this year, Singh said as the department and research grows, need for funding also rises.
"Innovative work goes on in our laboratories which requires an uplift. So the need for more budget also arises," he said.
The Minister added that as India aspires to be a super power by 2020 science will play a significant role to bring on social transformation in the country.
