Sibal returns as Science & Technology minister

Updated on: Friday, November 12, 2010

It was a homecoming of sorts for HRD minister Kapil Sibal, who today formally assumed additional charge of the twin ministries of Science and
Technology, and Earth Sciences.
Sibal held both the science portfolios in UPA-I.

"It is good to be back home," Sibal said as he met Secretaries of the four Departments that make up the two ministries and other senior officials.

Soon after taking charge, he announced that he would make efforts to forge an alliance between HRD and S&T ministries on funding certain projects.

The idea of an alliance was mooted by top officials of the S&T ministry who found that allocations from their department could be coupled with funds from the HRD ministry to build research facilities and strengthen existing educational institutions.

Sibal took a liking to the idea and promised to pursue it further.

In a meeting of secretaries and top officials from the S&T and Earth Sciences, Sibal had a quick review of various projects and their status. He also announced re-starting the old practice of having a monthly meeting of secretaries of the various departments under him.

"This is a holding assignment for me. But I will fulfill by responsibilities equally seriously as I do for my primary assignment -- HRD Ministry," he said.

Sibal also asked officials to have the pending files sent to his residence so that he could have a look and and decide on which needed to be re-submitted.

He also asked Earth Science Secretary Shailesh Nayak about the status of the new research station at Larsemann Hills region in the Antarctic region. The minister expressed satisfaction when he was informed that the first phase of construction would begin later this month.

Sibal said that he would pursue pending Bills, including the one to set up a Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI), in Parliament. He said he would examine whether at least one Bill related to the ministry can get Parliament nod in the ongoing session.

Besides the BRAI bill, draft laws in the pipeline include a Bill to give scientists working in state-run labs a share in IPR, a bill on DNA profiling, and another one to set up the Academy for Scientific and Industrial Research.

Sibal praised Prithviraj Chavan, the S&T and Earth Sciences minister for the past 18 months, as an "outstanding person" who was "rightly rewarded" by being made the Chief Minister of an important state like Maharashtra.

"Kudos to my predecessor," he said noting that Chavan had taken forward several projects initiated by him during his earlier tenure.

"We had set certain targets and taken up certain initiatives during my earlier tenure. Chavan had taken it forward and now the goals are in sight," Sibal said.

Sibal returns as Science & Technology minister

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