By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, FEB 13, 2016: THE Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, called upon Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI) to coordinate & exchange scientific developments in water purification technologies with all other CSIR laboratories to provide affordable potable water to all. The Minister while on a recent visit to CSIR-CGCRI, said that this should be one of the major focus areas for CSIR.

He also reviewed the optical amplifier product developed at the Fiber Optics and Photonics Division of this lab. The Minister appreciated the proposal of initiating a National Photonics Programme at CSIR-CGCRI. With respect to the optical fiber for telecommunications, it is currently met by indigenous production as well as import.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan while appreciating the recently developed Confocal Microscope developed at CSIR-CGCRI, suggested that all CSIR laboratories should purchase this CSIR product for their R&D work instead of purchasing imported microscopes at much higher cost.

The Minister appreciated the efforts of the outreach CGCRI centres at Naroda in Gujarat and Khurja in Uttar Pradesh in helping the MSME Sector and asked it to spread its good work to most other states as well to help the poor.

Director CSIR-CGCRI Dr. Muraleedharan, also explained the new initiatives taken in the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar by the Institute. The Director also presented the various programmes in which the institute is involved for supporting strategic sectors like Department of Atomic Energy(DAE) and DRDO.

The Minister visited the Bioceramics and Coatings and the Glass Divisions of the institute. The progress in various project activities in biomaterials for medical applications as well glass and glass fibre development for industrial, medical and strategic applications were described in details to him.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan recalled contributions of the great visionary scientists of Kolkata such as Acharya P C Ray, Dr J C Bose, Dr M N Saha, and Professor C V Raman who worked and contributed greatly to World science much before independence with several constraints and with no access to modern equipments. They showed us the way to carrying out frugal research methodologies and great passion for achieving World class scientific research. He told that people working in this city are lucky and must rise to the level of visionaries.

Director, CSIR-CGCRI described the recently launched Equipment Utilization programme initiated in the institute. It involves training of young scientists of the institute below the age of 40 on various R&D equipments available in the institute. This would enrich them scientifically and make them potential leaders to fill up the vacancies created in the near future following the superannuation of senior scientists. The Minister appreciated the idea and suggested that CSIR head quarters should explore the possibility of designing and implementing similar programme in other CSIR laboratories/institutes.

The Director also presented the mapping of human resources and technology capabilities to various National Missions such as Make in India, Swachch Bharat, Swasthya Bharat, Samarth Bharat-Sashakt Bharat, Namami Gange, Skill India etc. launched by the Prime Minister. He explained how the institute's technical activities are aligned with these National Missions.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan reminded the audience about the vision of the Prime Minister, who is also the President of CSIR, to contribute by heart and soul for the successful implementation of the National Programmes.