The advisory body, under the Cabinet Committee on Science and Technology, could interact with policy makers and heads of key agencies for the effective use of science and technology, according to the action plan drawn up at the summit, which ended here yesterday.

The summit, attended by eminent scientists and administrators including Professor C N R Rao, Dr M S Swaminathan, Prof R narasimha, Prof V C Kulandaiswamy and Prof P Rama Rao, chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Dr Manju Sharma, Secretary in the Biotechnology Department of the Union Government and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan chairman C Subramaniam, demanded greater allocation of funds for Science and Technology.

Expressing concern over increasing poverty and unemploymentin the country, the summit recommended the need for setting up a sustainable technology commission on the lines ofthe Atomic Energy Commission for adopting an integrated approach to conceptualisation, planning, financing and management of development in rural areas. It would require higher levels of public and private financing, it felt.

Dr Ashok Khosla of the Development Alternatives, who had mooted the setting up of a commission at the summit, said it would bring the fruits of good science and innovation into the lives of the poor and marginalised in rural India. Enormous spending on Science and Technology research had not reached the poor and the needy. The expenditure on science for poor was low, considering the amount that lapsed every year with scientific institutions, he added.

Quoting figures of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, he said Rs 235 crore remained unspent in 1997 by research institutions as against Rs 370 crore in 1996.

Dr Khosla said, "Research aimed at accelerating rural development does not rate very high in the minds of either scientists or decision-makers. How can science beexpected to help the poor when there is no science being done to address their concern", he asked.

Dr Khosla said solution to the problems of poverty did not require much basic research. To solve the basic needs and problems of the poor, cost-effective, environmentally sound and affordable technologies were required, especially in areas of renewable energy systems, food and water management facilities, construction and infrasutructure.

He said the existing mechanisms were not enough to address the problems of the poor.