The Fakir Mohan University here would soon open a Census Data Centre and a Centre for Atmospheric Science, sources said.
While the university authorities have received approval of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner for the Census Data Centre, steps are being taken for the necessary clearance for the Centre of Atmospheric Science.
“Our students are now depending upon various other institutions for census and other data for their research. The two new centres in our university premises will cater to the needs of our students and researchers. They can collect the required data free of cost,” said Vice-Chancellor Prof Santosh Kumar Tripathy.
All data, tables and indicators published by various census organisations would be made available at the Census Data Centre. Students and researchers from various institutions across the country can visit the centre to collect the data, he said.
“Odisha has been facing natural calamities like cyclones. Baleswar, a coastal district, has been bearing the brunt of such calamities. That is why we have decided to open a Centre for Atmospheric Science on our campus,” Tripathy said.
Sources said the university authorities have held discussions in this regard with India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra. The university would soon sign an MoU with the IMD for establishment of the centre.
“Steps are being taken to open the Census Data Centre in December this year while the Centre for Atmospheric Science is likely to open in the next academic year,” Tripathy said.