Excelsior Correspondent
MUMBAI, Sept 4 : Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh today virtually delivered keynote address at the “International Conference & Exhibitions on MATERIALS ENGINEERING and TECHNOLOGY and the synergic HEAT TREAT (HTS) being held in Mumbai from 4th to 6th September 2024.”
The International conference organised by ASM International, India Chapter, has gathered over 300 international and national participants to showcase state-of-the-art technologies, products, and services. The ASM International, a 108-year-old society headquartered in Ohio, USA, has been dedicated to serving the Materials Science and Engineering Community since its inception. The India Chapter, established in 1979, is recognized as one of the most active chapters worldwide.
In his address, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the critical role that advanced materials play in emerging technologies, offering diverse solutions and opportunities due to their fundamental attributes and enhanced customization to meet specific requirements. He highlighted the development of innovative, sustainable materials, ranging from nanostructured perovskites to macro-scale polymers, as a game-changing value addition to vital industry sectors such as energy, healthcare, space, agriculture and defense.
Dr.Jitendra Singh underscored the importance of integrating computational modelling, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence in advanced materials research. “These are likely to accelerate the discovery of tailor-made materials with novel properties that were difficult to attain otherwise,” said Dr. Singh. He added that this integration would provide a significant push for technology development based on such materials.
Dr. Singh also highlighted the Department of Science and Technology’s initiative on Advanced Materials, which aims to develop novel materials and technologies to address significant global challenges such as the climate crisis, environmental degradation, and unsustainable practices in agriculture, transportation, construction and packaging.
The Science and Technology Minister underscored the support and patronage of PM Modi in the establishment of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF). “The NRF is a quantum leap in the Indian research enterprise. It will transparently seed, fund, and coordinate research across institutions in all disciplines in an integrated manner,” he said.
In a significant announcement, Dr. Jitendra Singh recalled that the Union Finance Minister had unveiled a funding initiative of Rs. 1 lakh crore in the FY 2024-25 budget to encourage the private sector to scale up research and innovation significantly in deep tech and sunrise domains. The proposed corpus, established with a 50-year interest-free loan, will provide long-term financing at low or nil interest rates to spur private sector-driven research and innovation on a commercial scale.
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