Chandigarh: Union Minister for Power, Housing, and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on Monday addressed a panel discussion on ‘New Age Technologies — Vision 2047’ on the third day of the India International Science Festival (IISF) in Panchkula.
He emphasised that it is now the responsibility of scientists and students to promote new technologies and innovations and to implement them for the greater good of society.
Manohar Lal expressed his delight that the India International Science Festival is being held in Panchkula, allowing everyone to witness the event firsthand. He said that Haryana had previously hosted the festival in Faridabad.
He further stated that the objective of the festival is to bring academia and industry together on a single platform, fostering better coordination between them.
He said science has made tremendous progress in recent years, noting that thanks to scientific advancements, the world now feels much smaller.
“Through telecommunications, we can communicate using both wired and wireless technologies and even see people located anywhere in the world. We are now entering the era of artificial intelligence (AI), which is regarded as a key technology of the future. Effective solutions to many problems can be achieved by using AI tools correctly,” he said.
He urged scientists to use AI responsibly and for the benefit of society, so that its full potential can be harnessed meaningfully.
The Union Minister stated that AI is being utilised across all sectors today, with special emphasis on its application in the energy sector.
He said AI can play a crucial role in smart metering and in operating electrical equipment as needed, which can result in significant cost reductions.
In addition to the energy sector, he highlighted the importance of AI in the housing sector. Using AI, houses can be designed to remain comfortably warm in winter and cool in summer, demonstrating their potential to enhance efficiency and living standards.
Manohar Lal stated that the government of India has launched a Rs 1 lakh crore research, development, and innovation (RDI) fund, a major initiative to promote private sector research and development in strategic and emerging technology areas such as AI, quantum computing, clean energy, and biotechnology.
The fund aims to position India as a global innovation hub by financing deep-tech projects and fostering self-reliance, with professional fund managers overseeing it under the National Research Foundation (NRF).
He added that India is now rapidly moving beyond 5G in communication technology, advancing towards 6G.
On this occasion, Manohar Lal also responded to questions from students. In reply to a question about Haryana, he said the state is making rapid progress in the field of science and technology and highlighted that special encouragement is being provided for innovation and research in its educational institutions.
Earlier, he also visited the science exhibition.
(IANS)
