Science, technology and research

Ariya RUBASINGHE

This was a neglected field in Sri Lanka despite its potential to help achieve a big leap in our development and export earnings. Mahinda Chinthana rightly recognizes the importance of this field and states ‘Under development in the field of Science and Technology has been one of the reason for our country being economically backward... I hope to achieve a marked development in the field of Science and Technology within the next six years.’

Accordingly, several scientific and technologically oriented projects have been implemented by the government to arm the youth to meet the future challenges and help our exporters to make their products competitive in the markets price-wise and as well as quality-wise.

Vidartha centres

The Rs 900 million Vidartha programme implemented by Vidartha Centres established at the ratio of minimum one centre for each Divisional Secretariat Divisions is aimed to create small and medium scale entrepreneurs, and improve the standard of living of the rural community. The Centres are also equipped with computers and other machinery to conduct workshops on technology transfer.

Products of local information and communication technology industry have a significant demand in the global software market. Vendor certification is an essential requirement to sell its products in the global market. At present most of the high ended certification is not tested in Sri Lanka due to lack of facilities and both individuals and organisations are compelled to go to other countries to obtain the high ended certificate.

The proposed institution, established at a cost of Rs 746 million will enable the issuance of vendor certification to expand the IT market in Sri Lanka. The Institution will train 5,000 youth and establish a fully equipped vendor certification-testing laboratory.

Knowledge City at Henegama in the Gampaha District

Arrangements are underway to establish a Knowledge City at Henegama at a cost of Rs 8,630 million.

This city will have facility for foreign Universities to establish their Units locally and provide facilities for 15,000 foreign and local students to follow overseas educational courses.

The Knowledge City Park will also generate 2,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Capacity building

It has been found that Sri Lanka could increase its export earnings by several fold by export value added products turned out using nanotechnology and biotechnology innovations.

Therefore, the government has made arrangements to spend Rs 943 million on capacity building training programmes. Under this arrangement 200 professionals will be provided training in various fields of nanotechnology and biotechnology, in order to promote the new technologies to the industrial sector.

Nationl centre for non-destructive testing

Arrangements have been made to establish a National Centre for Non Destructive Testing at a cost of Rs 370 million, in order to provide testing required by the industrialists. In addition to providing testing the centre will also train 500 apprentices per annum, produce 100 certified welders per annum as there is high demand for these personnel in foreign countries.

Nano science park

The Nano Science Park and the Nano Science Centre at Pitipana, Homagama established at a cost of Rs 5,600 million is aimed at increase value addition to Sri Lankan products and enhance the productivity of the work force, there increasing our foreign exchange earnings through exports. It will also strengthen research and development innovations for Sri Lankan industrialists.

Gamma Irradiation plant

Establishment of a Rs 300 million Multipurpose Gamma Irradiation plant is another project aimed to help local exporters. This technology is used for sterilization of medical products and food preservation in many countries.

The establishment of this plant will give Sri Lanka better opportunities for export of medical products such as latex gloves, syringes, sterile dressing etc.

The plant will also boost our export of agricultural and food products providing facility for sterilization. The International Atomic Energy has agreed to provide technical assistance in terms of manpower development and expert services for this project.

Malabe Technology Park and the Japan funded Agro and Food Technology Project are other major projects being implemented by the Ministry of Technology and Research to enhance Sri Lanka’s technological advancement.

Science and Technology five year plan on innovation strategy

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Technology and Research has formulated a five year plan focusing on achieving the objective of doubling the country’s per capita income by 2015 and prioritized the course of action based on National Science and Technology Policy.

Cabinet Approval has been granted for the appointment of a high powered Officials’ Committee consisting of the Secretary to the President, Ministry of Finance and Planning, and the Secretary Ministry of Technology and Research, to coordinate the activities for the implementation of project proposals submitted by the line Ministries, and for the formulation of coordinating structure to combine the private sector as well for these activities.

Rs 725 m IT centre boon for Central Province

In keeping with the promise given in the Mahinda Chinthana that ‘Sri Lanka will be developed as a Regional Centre of the Asian IT dissemination networks,’ the government has taken steps to assist the public by establishing Information Technology Institutes throughout the country to bring IT technology which was a luxury confined to students in Colombo to students in rural villages as well.

IT centres with modern library facilities have been established in Kandy, Kattankudy, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Moneragala and many other places, linking the villages with the modern world and producing IT experts from the villages in which even many elders had never seen computers.

Courtesy: Media Centre for National Development