Science and Technology:

Govt to increase financial allocations

Dinesh DE ALWIS

The government is planning to increase the financial allocation for Science and Technology (ST)related activities and will take action to strengthen the human capital in the S & T sector, said Prime Minister D M Jayaratne.

He was addressing the National Science and Technology Awards 2010 organized by the National Science Foundation yesterday at Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, Colombo.

The Premier further stated that Sri Lanka has identified the importance of capturing the global markets through advance technologies.

Sri Lanka is investing around 0.17 percent of its GDP on Research and Development. The Government is planning to increase high tech value added exports from 1.5 percent to 10 percent by 2015. "We produce high quality graduates but unfortunately they serve foreign countries for various reasons.

I would like to invite them to come back to Sri Lanka.

Also I invite award winners to collaborate with Sri Lankan scientists and help reach the goal of making Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia," he said. Addressing the gathering Technology and Research Minister Prof. Tissa Vitarana said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has accepted the five year Science and Technology National Plan and it will enable Sri Lanka to march forward and win the economic war.

Prof. Ravi Silva making the keynote address said, the Sri Lankan government should have a panel of scientist advisers for every Ministry and embark on to changing the mind set of people. The innovative advance technology category award was given to Dr. Nilwala Kottegoda, Imalka Munaweera, Nadeesh Madusanka and Prof. Veranja Karunaratne.

The locally developed new technology award was won by Dr. Jaanaki Gooneratne. The award category Outstanding leadership in introducing technologies was won by Manjula Perera.