Top priority must be given to making science a tool for facilitating improvement in the life of the common masses and making it more comfortable, said Chief Minister Harish Rawat.
Inaugurating the ninth Uttarakhand State Science and Technology Congress being organised by Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) at its Vigyan Dham campus here on Thursday, Rawat said that the knowledge gained on the basis of experiences attained over the last thousands of years by humanity must be linked with the latest technical knowledge to make it more relevant. He said that India’s biodiversity is its natural heritage.
“The spiritual knowledge of our saints and sages must be channelised and linked with the latest science and technological developments. Scientific organisations must come forward to enhance the traditional agricultural produce of Uttarakhand. UCOST could coordinate with various scientific and educational institutions of the State by working as a representative of the scientific agencies,” he said.
Rawat added that the scientific analytical report on Nanda Raj Jat 2014 prepared by UCOST would be useful for organising religious Yatras and trade fairs in the future. Stating that the Government was working on making soil health cards in all districts within the next two years, Rawat also stressed on the need for developing simple techniques to improve the quality of water. Appreciating works undertaken by the council, the CM declared enhancement of its allotted budget from Rs3.3 cr to Rs10 cr.
He said that one science centre in each district on the lines of UCOST should be opened so that the young scientists of the State working in the remote and far-flung areas could enhance their knowledge and satisfy their curiosities.
Speaking on the occasion, the State Science and Technology Minister, Surendra Singh Negi, pointed out that hundreds of scientists and researchers are participating in the three-day congress which shows the new scientific wave flowing in the researchers of the State which must be enhanced in future.
Sahaspur MlA Sahadev Singh Pundir expressed the hope that Vigyan Dham would play a major role in giving science a new direction and accelerating scientific activities in the State. State Science and Technology Secretary Deepak Gairola said that UCOST has taken initiatives for popularizing agricultural activities through new techniques among the farmers. Similarly, UCOST has also taken initiatives to improve the quality of water in the State.
Science and Technology Excellence Awards 2014-15 were presented to noted scientist Dr SS Negi for engineering science, Dr lMS Palni for biodiversity and biotechnology and Deeksha Bisht for science communication. National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) Uttarakhand chapter chairman Prof AN Purohit received the Prof RN Tandon NASI Memorial lecture Award 2014 and Neeraj Kumar Joshi, GIC Munsyari, Pithoragarh was awarded NASI Best Science Teacher Award 2014-15. UCOST director-general Dr Rajendra Dobhal, former State Chief Secretary Dr RS Tolia and former Secretary, Government of India, Vibha Puri Das were also among those present on the occasion.