The Hindu Business Line : Importance of innovations

This is with reference to "Innovation is India's strength" (Business Line, March 25). The Union Minister for Communications and Divestment, Mr Arun Shourie, has rightly pointed out the importance of innovations. At present, however, innovations are generally considered to be the monopoly of scientific and technological fields. This attitude should so change as to give importance to innovations in social and economic spheres also. The Government should come forward to provide the required infrastructure and financial sources to encourage innovative ideas and projects.

Another misconception among the policymakers is that only those who have higher education at reputed institutes can innovate. The farmers, most of who do not have any formal education, are having many innovative ideas, which even the national agricultural institutes are devoid of. This necessitates inter-change of innovative ideas and experiments among laboratories and fields.

C. Ramesh

Keeramangalam (TN)

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