The Hindu Business Line : CAR to help domestic auto sector

IN efforts to provide key technology support to Indian automobile manufacturers, CAR (Core Advisory Group of Research), an industry-academia initiative has been firmed up, the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Prime Minister, Dr R. Chidambaram, said here today.

Following a discussion with Mr Rahul Bajaj and other leaders of the automotive sector, the Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment council (TIFAC), Office of the PSA and representatives from the auto industry have formed two working groups under CAR. "The idea is to help the Indian auto sector bridge technology gaps and face the stiff challenge from the global automobile majors," he told newspersons. The first task underway was to prepare a user-friendly database of expertise and competent research professionals available in the country as a ready reference for the automobile sector. In addition to several industry, the industry bodies like SIAM, AAI etc. have joined hands in this synergistic activity, Dr Chidambaram, the former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), said.

In December 2003, research scientists, industry representatives and academia met at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai, to discuss the latest `embedded' systems for the automobile sector. There is a perceptible shift in the "dependence and confidence among the Indian industry on domestic research and development," Dr Chidambaram said.

Another major proposal that is gaining industry attention was in the area of better utilisation of the vast engineering graduates from the country. The idea is that the Indian industry hire the best students from engineering colleges, give them industry salary and a challenging R&D project for five years. After discussion with Mr J.J. Irani of Tata Sons, "we have sent out a jointly signed letter to about 50 companies with this proposal and the response is encouraging," Dr Chidambaram said.

He said "It is absolutely imperative now that a challenging work environment and reasonable salary structure is offered to ensure at least a percentage of the bright students are attracted to Indian industry and research-driven organisations and not flock to the large number of multinationals, who are setting up their R&D bases in India."

In the area of taking technology to rural areas, a Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) has been formed. It would not be a funding mechanism, but a body to bring in the right synergy between various technology players in the rural development arena, Dr Chidambaram, who was chief guest at the annual day celebrations of the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), a Defence Ministry R&D organisation, said.

He identified the science & technology (S&T), non-Government organisations (NGOs) such as Dr M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation & BAIF; S&T national institutes, the corporate sector (like ITC's e-choupals) and Government agencies like the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) ad the four major players, whose expertise and efforts need to be synergised to help technology improve the quality of life in rural areas. The PSA also has a small fund for encouraging `Synergy Projects', Dr Chidambaram said.