Faridabad, Jan 19: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and MoS PMO, urged State and Union Territory Science Ministers to embrace the Centre’s best technology practices in governance and infrastructure development. He said this during an interactive session with Science Ministers from different states and Union Territories as part of the ongoing “India International Science Festival.”
Dr Jitendra highlighted the extensive use of technology by the Government in the last decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Various initiatives such as infrastructure development, digital healthcare, digital education, PM Gati Shakti, DBT & SVAMITVA have been implemented using technology. He emphasized the Prime Minister’s scientific temperament and keen promotion of Science & Technology (S&T) based initiatives.
During the State Science Ministers Summit, Dr Singh emphasized that some states have actively adopted the Centre’s integrated approach, while others lag behind. He urged all states to proactively embrace best practices for holistic development.
The minister reiterated the significant progress made in technology under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. He mentioned the establishment of 25 technology innovation hubs across the country under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
Dr Jitendra encouraged State Science Ministers to appoint nodal officers for close liaison with CSIR and other Central Government-supported R&D institutions. He emphasized the importance of states interacting with CSIR laboratories and institutions to identify areas for research projects and promote more startups.
He highlighted the success of initiatives like the Aroma Mission in J&K, resulting in over 3,000 startups engaged in Lavender cultivation. He urged states to learn from such best practices and replicate successful models in various regions.
The minister emphasized the need for an integrated approach, where states collaborate with scientific institutions to harness S&T opportunities. He mentioned ongoing projects like the Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Foundation (TiHAN) and the development of India’s first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus.
Dr Jitendra Singh urged states to focus on value addition, enrich the S&T ecosystem, and transfer benefits across communities. He highlighted the importance of continuous learning among states, fostering collaboration beyond events like the India International Science Festival.
Dignitaries present at the State Science Ministers Summit included representatives from Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Ladakh, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister, Member NITI Aayog, and the Secretary DST. The ongoing India International Science Festival provides an opportunity for knowledge exchange and collaboration among states.
