Scientific knowledge essential to enable reforms: Bhagwati

NEW DELHI - The potential of science and technology, like the development of genetically modified crops to improve productivity, cannot be ignored in the reforms process, renowned economist Jagdish Bhagwati said here Thursday.

“Examples include the invention of cheap laptops that make it possible to put them into every lap and the enormous potential of BT Brinjal and other genetically modified crops in raising productivity massively in our agriculture,” Bhagwati said while delivering the third Hiren Mukerjee Memorial Annual Parliamentary Lecture in the Central Hall of parliament .

The 76-year-old professor, who was educated at Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, quoted India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to drive home the point that science alone could solve the problems of hunger and poverty, of insanitation, illiteracy and of vast resources running to waste.

Bhagwati said science could also be used to get rid of corruption in several areas.

“Nandan Nilekani is engaged in arguably the most important innovative reform in recent years by creating a national database of identity details of Indian citizens. This should take the political corruption out of the public distribution system and the in the employment guarantee scheme.”