Vision for a developed India

In November 1993, the TIFAC Governing Council felt that the dream for a developed India can only be realized through technological strength. TIFAC took up the responsibility of creating a Technology Vision for the country that would catalyze and guide national initiatives in Science and Technology.

The objectives of the exercise were

• To provide directions for national initiatives in science and technology so as to realize a vision for India upto 2020
• To provide a strong basis for policy framework and investment for R&D in the government and the private sector
• To contribute to the development of an integrated S&T policy both at the state and national levels.

The nation-wide exercise spanned over three years with 7 task forces and 10 panels drawing 500 experts from industry, Government and R&D institutions. About 5000 experts from across the country participated in the exercise through their responses to questionnaires, workshops etc.

The task forces covered areas of Agro Food Processing, Waterways, Road Transportation, Civil Aviation, Electric Power, Telecommunications and Advanced Sensors.

The panels were on Food & Agriculture, Engineering Industries, Healthcare, Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Materials & Processing, Service, Strategic Industries, Electronics & Communication, Chemical Process Industries, and Driving Forces & Impedances.

The visioning exercise employed various techniques of forecasting like brainstorming sessions, perspective and scenario reports, Delphi rounds, nominal group technique etc.

The Technology Vision 2020 reports provided the technology status, forecasts and assessment of respective sectors. They also identified short-, medium- and long-term technology priorities for the country and suggested ways to implement them.

Technology Vision reports were released to the nation on August 2, 1996 by Prime Minister of India, Shri HD Deve Gowda.