DRAFT

MODALITIES FOR OPERATIONALISATION OF NATIONAL FUND^* FOR BASIC AND STRATEGIC RESEARCH IN agricultural sciences

1.         Motivation

The Indian NARS has not only to find solutions to the immediate problems of farming but has also to keep its competency in technology development in the forefront to meet all continuously emerging anticipated and unanticipated problems. With agriculture going global and the ever expanding frontiers of science the NARS has not only to remain globally competitive in its agricultural science base but also will need to lead the world in the areas of its demonstrated advantage. This apart, the best of scientific capabilities will be required to solve a number of specific but critical bottleneck technological problems of agriculture, which have been preventing or are likely to prevent the Indian agriculture from competing globally for certain commodities despite its inherent advantages. Some of these are long outstanding and some have been emerging. Solutions to these problems will require much focused and highly innovative basic and strategic research and its application. Rightly, the Government of India has decided to establish a national fund for supporting basic and strategic research to make India a global leader in agricultural research for development. 

2.         Objective

To build capacity for basic and strategic research of national and long term importance to break yield and quality barriers and make India a global leader in research for development.

3.         The scope of the fund

The fund is initially confined to the X Five Year Plan with an outlay of Rs.50 crore. In view of its strategic importance, it will likely to continue during the XI Five Year Plan. 

4.         Governance

1.      The fund for the projects will be approved by an Empowered Committee (EC) constituted by the Union Agricultural Minister. The EC is chaired by Dr. C.N.R. Rao. The committee includes the Director General, ICAR as one of the Members.  The EC is a multi-disciplinary / multi – sectoral scientific body. The composition of EC is given in Annexure I.    The Terms of Reference of the EC are as follows:

i)                    To determine the policy and the priorities for fund

ii)                   To examine and approve the research projects

iii)                 To monitor the progress, suggest on course corrections      

The committee will meet quarterly or as frequently as required to fulfil its TORs.  National Director (ND), National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) will be the Convener of the Committee and he will be assisted by National Coordinator (Component – 4 on basic and strategic research) of NAIP.  The tenure of the committee is for remaining year of the X Five Year Plan (2006-07). The fund will operate on a principal of least controls and interference once the projects are sanctioned.

The secretariat for the fund will be Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the NAIP, under the overall executive supervision of ND. The National Coordinator for Component – 4 on Basic and Strategic Research will be the nodal officer for implementing the project. 

5.         Priority areas

The broad identified areas are genetic enhancement, resource management, value addition, diagnostics, vaccines, energy management, climate change, stress management areas However, an indicative list of priority themes are listed in Annexure-II. Other bright concepts relevant to the overall broad themes will also be considered for funding.

6.         Suggested Procedure of selection of Projects

The selection of the projects will be through a fully open competitive mode. The proposals for projects will be called through open publicity in newspapers, ICAR website. Collaborative research programme and inter-institutional projects will be strongly encouraged. Scientists from all research institutions, universities and private sector, located in India are eligible to apply. The aim will be to promote formation of research networks to advance the agricultural research base. The project will be sanctioned for the period of Xth Five Year Plan or less as found appropriate by EC. The period may be extended by up to one year if justified by the principal investigator and approved by the EC .There will be a MOU between the ICAR and the partner institution. First, there will an open call for submission of research proposals in the form of the Project Concept Note (PCN).  The Concepts Notes will be categorized into thematic areas.  A Screening Committee of five to six experts for each thematic area with National Coordinator of Component – 4, NAIP as Member Secretary will scrutinize and shortlist the Concept Notes.  The selected Concept Notes will be put up to EC for further scrutiny and decision. The approved Concept Notes along with suggestions of the EC will be sent to the concerned institutions / individuals for developing detailed projects.  The project proposals will again be scrutinized at the secretariat and will be evaluated by three experts who will be giving their comments. If all the three experts provide favorable comments, it will be put up to EC for final decision. If there is disagreement, the Principal Investigator (PI) will be called for a presentation and the recommendation is arrived at and put up to EC for final decision. While sending the proposals to EC, the secretariat has to prepare a detailed agenda along with vetting by finance and administration.

For the project proposals approved by the EC, the secretariat will issue the sanction letter in prescribed format after administrative and financial clearance including signing of MOUs to be developed.  The MOU will also have clear cut provisions of sharing IP mutually agreed by the partners on the basis of IPR Policy/ guidelines of ICAR. 

The procedure may be modified as and when needed by the EC.

7.         Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

M&E will be through annual national seminars in which in addition to the EC members other experts will evaluate, thoroughly and critically, the out put presented by the scientists.

8.a       Components of expenditure to be funded

In general the following components of expenditure will be considered for funding.

i)                    Goods &equipments

ii)                   Capacity building

iii)         Renovation of laboratories and construction for housing new equipment/plants*

iv)                 TA/DA

v)                  Workshops /meetings

vi)                 Contractual staff coterminous with the respective project

vii)               Operational cost

viii)              Institutional charges

*It will be restricted to 5 % of the project cost and will be sanctioned only in exceptional circumstances.

In a few cases if absolutely essential for example, for setting up of plants or equipment as an essential part of the approved project work without which the project can not be successful new civil works may be considered by EC.

8 b)      Financial limits

Projects costing 50 lakh or above will be funded. However, the financial limits will depend on the nature of the project and will be decided by the EC on recommendation of expert committees on proper justification offered by the proponents.

 9.        Audit

The audit of the projects will be done by the CAG for ICAR and Central Government Institutions or local auditors for the State Government institutions & SAUs as per NAIP details. Chartered Accountants empanelled with CAG for non-government institutions. 

10.       Procurement

The procurement of goods / services will be done as per Govt. of India / ICAR norms.

Annexure-I

Composition of the Empowered Committee

1. Dr. C.N. R. Rao,                                                                            Chairman

Chairman, Science Advisory Council to PM and Honorary

President, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific

Research, Jakkur P.O. Bangalore-560064

2. Dr. Mangala Rai                                                                            Member

Secretary DARE & DG – ICAR

Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi

3. Dr. V.S. Vyas                                                                                 Member

Former Director, IIM Ahmedabad,

396, Vasundhra Extn.,

Gopalpora Bye-Pass, Tonk Road,

Jaipur – 302018

4. Dr. I.P. Abrol                                                                                  Member

Ex. DDG – NRM, ICAR

A-34/2, DLF Qutab Enclave – 1,

Gurgaon-122001

5. Dr. S. K. Sen                                                                                  Member

Professor, IIT

Kharagpur (West Bengal)

6. Dr. K. Pradhan                                                                               Member

Ex. VC, RAU Bikaner,

H-101, Som Vihar Apartment, R.K. Puram,

New Delhi – 110002

7. Dr. H.K. Jain                                                                                  Member

Ex. Director, IARI

40, Surya Niketan,

Vikas Marg Extn.,

Delhi-110092

8. Dr. P. Balaram                                                                               Member

Director, Indian Institute of Sciences,

Bangalore (Karnataka)

9. Dr. Mruthyunjaya                                                                          Convenor

National Director,

National Agricultural Innovation Project,

Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan – II, Pusa Complex,

New Delhi – 110012

Annexure-II