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Congress President Mallikarjun blasted out the center on Thursday on the scientists at the summit Research institutes not receiving funds for this fiscal year, claiming that the Modi government is “determined” to kill scientific research in the country.
His attack was prompted by a media report that alleged that scientists at top research institutions who were supposed to receive money from central agencies for this fiscal year in April were still waiting. “Modi Joft is deeply bent on killing scientific research in the country, and thus impeding the progress of the nation,” Karg said in a tweet.
He said that scientists at top research institutions have not yet received money for this fiscal year, and are being forced to use their hard-earned savings to continue research.
“While the government promised more funding through the creation of a National Research Foundation (NRF), their procurement has been suspended and project personnel have not been paid for three months. Private funding is welcome, but government funding should not stop,” the congressional chief said.
He said that the 2023 budget reduced the funds allocated for scientific research by 6.87 percent. “In 2017, the scientific community was forced to stage nationwide protests in 27 cities to register their concerns about frivolous funding, money cuts, and pseudoscience promoted by the Modi government,” he said.
In 2015, the Modi government asked organizations involved in scientific research to start “self-financing” projects, meaning they would have to raise their own funding for research, Karg said.
He claimed that “the Modi government has repeatedly shown its utter contempt and contempt for encouraging the scientific temper.”
Kharge said, “Prime Minister Modi may talk about – Gay Vigyan, Gay Anosandan – but unfortunately, his government desires – Paragay Vigyan, Paragay Anosandan (defeat science, defeat research)”.
Earlier, Senior Congress Party Leader P Chidamapuram took a swipe at the center on the matter, saying that perhaps the government will forge a new slogan of ‘Minimum Money, Maximum Research’.
Citing the same Kharg media report, Chidambaram said that as a result, procurement has been suspended and project personnel have not been paid for three months. He also quoted a senior scientist, S.C. Lakhotia, as saying that he pays the project staff out of his own pocket.
The former Union Minister asked, why are the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Biotechnology ignoring the matter? “Maybe the government will formulate a new mantra this week: minimum funding, maximum research,” Chidambaram said on Twitter.
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