india

Updated: Feb 20, 2020 04:10 IST

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday gave its nod for the constitution of a 12-member “Technology Group” to advise ministries, departments and public sector undertakings (PSUs) on technology implementation. The committee will be headed by Dr K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific advisor to PM Modi.

“The committee will develop a framework for bringing in transparency in governance and use all the new technologies. The group will have experts from various fields and will advise any ministry or department or PSU, and in the future, perhaps, even the industries,” said Prakash Javadekar, Union minister for information and broadcasting and the environment, in a briefing after the cabinet meeting.

The group will provide timely policy advice on the latest technologies. It will also help in mapping available technology, commercialisation of technologies developed in government laboratories, and preparing a roadmap for developing some key technologies indigenously.

“Currently, all ministries and departments bring in new technologies on their own; however, they cannot say whether it is really the latest and the most useful because they do not have the capacity to judge the technologies. This group will advise on policy, procurement and managing the technologies,” said Javdekar in a briefing after the cabinet meeting.

“The technology group will examine technologies valuable for the economy and society, and advice on their procurement and deployment in the most efficient manner. On this, the TG will get inputs from the PM-STIAC, and act in a complementary manner,” said Principal Scientific Advisor Prof K VijayRaghavan.

The 21-member Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council had been set up in August 2018 to give direction to the science and technology programmes of the country and ensure timely implementation. The PMSTIAC office has identified nine missions of national importance to steer research.

Bill to regulate fertility clinics

The Cabinet also approved the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Regulation Bill, 2020, which aims at regulation and supervision of ART clinics and sperm banks and prevention of misuse of this technology, including surrogacy .

The bill proposes constitution of a national board, which will set the minimum standards of physical infrastructure, laboratory, diagnostic equipment and expert manpower, for ART clinics to comply with.

A National Registry and Registration Authority will be set up to maintain a central database and assist the board in its functioning. The bill also proposes for a stringent punishment for those practising sex selection, sale of human embryos or gametes, running agencies, rackets and organisations in violation of the law.

Nod for creation of 22nd Law Commission

The Cabinet approved the constitution of the 22nd Law Commission, which advises the government on complex legal issues. The law ministry will notify its new panel, which will have a three-year tenure.

The panel will have a full-time chairperson, four full-time members, and law and legislative secretaries in the law ministry as ex-officio members.