Prasad to scientists: Develop 'pro-people' technologies

PUNE: Union minister for electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad has said with a vast digital eco-system in place, scientists should focus on innovation and come up with more "pro-people" information technology products.

"Through Make In India, Start Up India, Stand Up India, Skill Development and Smart Cities, we have created a vast digital eco-system and scientists need to be more innovative and out-of-the-box and should come up with more pro-people IT products and empower the citizens," he said.

Prasad was speaking at the inauguration of a new research centre of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing here and launch of e-Hastakshar, its e-signature service, which enables signing of digital documents in a legally acceptable manner.

C-DAC is a premier R&D organisation of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Addressing the C-DAC scientists, Prasad said, "Our vision is to make India an intellectually empowered society and initiatives like Make In India, Start Up India, Stand Up India, Skill Development and Smart Cities are designed to make India a knowledgeable and intellectual country."

The philosophy behind all these initiatives of the Modi Government was that India missed out on industrial and entrepreneur revolutions, but now it should not miss out on digital revolution, he said. "We want to become a leader in digital revolution and that is our vision," Prasad added.

Applauding C-DAC for its contribution in electronics and computing, the minister said government will give all kind of encouragement, and the scientists should focus on innovation alongwith the conventional research.

"You have enough substance in you...Pour your substance of talent in abundance and people of the country will lap it. I am happy with e-sign and other achievements of C-DAC, but come up with innovative pro-people IT products and work in the areas such as education, healthcare and cyber security," he said.