Inaugurating the mega-scientific convention at the sprawling Anna University campus in the city attended by several scientific luminaries including Nobel laureate Prof. James Watson, the Prime Minister noted that the recent nuclear tests at Pokharan had ``filled the entire scientific community with self-confidence.'' Attempts of technology denial had only spurred the Indian scientists to ``further strengthen our national capability,'' he stated.

Outlining the four important tasks before the scientific community in the country to enable India emerge once again as a global scientific power in the early part of the next century, Vajpayee said the Indian scientific community shouldfocus not only on quantity but also on quality that stood up to international scrutiny. ``We must resolve not to remain mostly a recipient of scientific and technological knowledge from outside, but also become a giver, a major contributor.''

However, in the context of research activity proving to be a costly proposition, scientists should forge the ``closest possible collaborations with the best institutions across the globe,'' he said. He hastened to add that Indian scientists should gear up to face any technological denial by other countries.

Secondly, the scientific establishment should refocus itself on meeting the felt needs of the Indian industry, agriculture and service sectors, he said, adding, food scientists should develop cost-effective technologies to prevent enormous wastage of fruits, vegetables and food grains. Scientific institutions in the country should forge closer collaborative ties with industry, agriculture and service sectors in the areas of food security, water management, energyand material conservation, low-cost housing, environment protection which were crucial for national development, he said.Thirdly, to create world-class scientific research, he said universities and research and development institutions should be free from bureaucratisation. In this context, he called upon the Science Congress to evolve an action-plan on ushering in creative research rather than spending time on unproductive and needless red-tapism.

As for the ``fourth important task'', he said the younger generation should be trained in a spirit of scientific inquiry and regretted that students were not encouraged to think freely and creatively and learn through problem-solving, and that the educational system presently ``suffered badly from learning by rote''.

Stating that the country should concentrate on two knowledge-based sciences information technology and biotechnology the Prime Minister said the Government had taken a number of initiatives to enable India become a major global IT power withsoftware exports targeted at $ 50 billion by the year 2008.

Lacing his speech with Vedic verses, the Prime Minister went on to call upon the scientific community to harmonise science and spiritualism to attain peace, prosperity and happiness for all.

JAI VIGYAN SCHEME: Union Human Resources Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, who was presented the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary award along with a host of scientific luminaries at the Congress, announced a new Jai Vigyan scheme, under which 21 important developmental projects, with a major focus on science and technology, would be selected and implemented through universities and research institutions.

Stating that these projects would be in the priority areas of food security, energy conservation, disaster management, health care and bio-fertiliser products, he said these would be green channel projects wherein the Govt would remove or relax all unnecessary procedures to facilitate fast-track implementation.

TERMINATOR GENES: Calling upon thescientists to be vigilant against any agricultural practices inimical to bio-diversity, he said the discoveries of `Terminator' genes and ``attempts of some multi-nationals to push through their commercial applications have to be met effectively and squarely''.