New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) Experts have underlined that science has created an atmosphere of optimism in the country, and it is time to use new technologies to pole-vault present and future challenges, a DST statement said on Friday.

At an online discourse series organised by the National Council for Science and Technology Communication and Vigyan Prasar, Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST, highlighted the ministry's role in the country's development and progress, and its goals of making India the science, technology, and innovation power in the world.

"Fifty years is a long journey, and foundational technologies have been seeded. Major challenges are coming at faster speed, and science, technology, and innovation are key for the country's development and progress in this scenario,” Sharma said.

The emergence of disruptive and impactful technologies poses new challenges and simultaneously greater opportunities, he noted.

“DST, which is a nursery to help, nurture and grow young talents for the progress and development of the country, has launched a whole lot of schemes and have taken various steps to identify loopholes and rectify them to ensure that science, technology, and innovation plays the key role in progress and development of the country,” Sharma said.

Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, said India has taken huge strides in social, political, and economic transformation, and has created a science and technology ecosystem.

“Our scientific community has done us proud, and it is an opportune moment for the country to use new technologies to overcome challenges,” Kumar said.

Sharma also talked about Science Technology and Innovation Policy 2021 that would empower every sector in the country to march ahead on a sustainable development pathway to include economic development, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability for achieving an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

He added that Geospatial Data Policy would be a game-changer and would help in democratisation of data in every nook and corner of the country.

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