The 12th five-year plan, whose period is just about four months away, will see a significant focus on promotion of science and technology and public-private partnership in research areas. “The science and technology sector will occupy the centrestage in the 12th five-year plan. We are aiming to propel India from poor economy to middle economy status. By the end of the plan period, we aim to achieve remarkable growth in per capita income,” member of the Planning Commission Dr K Kasturirangan said. He was speaking at a panel discussion on ‘science policy making’ at the ongoing 99th Science Congress here. The draft policy would suggest a significant increase in the state spending on S&T, from the current 0.9 per cent of GDP to 2 per cent, the noted space scientist said. This is in tune with PM Manmohan Singh’s call for a significant increase in R&D spending and catching up with competitors like China. He said special programmes would be started to nurture students for science and private industries would be asked to increase funding for research and development. There would be more public funding in research, Dr Kasturirangan said. The science policy is expected to increase employment through manufacturing sector, harness young talent pool, encourage participation in research and increase industry-academia interaction, he said. Dr VM Katoch, Director General (DG) of Indian Council of Medical Research, said the 12th five-year plan must focus on health for all. Dr S Ayyappan, Director General of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), said there was a need for de-bureaucratisation of procedures. Dr Samir K Brahmachari, Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), said the education system should be more flexible and the youth should be given bigger responsibility to guide scientific projects.