Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 9: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today emphasized the need for creating scientific temperament in young generation to help inculcate interest and enthusiasm in them for pursing career in this field.
“This is all the more needed to open new avenues of economic growth and generate employment”, he said, adding that the target needs to be achieved by addressing it on three aspects – encouraging young boys and girls at school and college level to opt for science streams and choose it as a career – to facilitate scientific research and to take scientific results to the field.
Addressing the 2nd meeting of Scientific Advisory Committee to the Chief Minister (SAC-CM), Omar Abdullah expressed satisfaction over the efforts of Advisory Committee to concretize the suggestions and proposals into pilot projects and initiating action on the identified road map.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Science and Technology, Aga Syed Ruhulla, Chairman of the Committee, Prof V L Chopra, former Member Planning Commission of India, Vice Chancellor, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, R N K Bamzai, Director Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Dr Ram Vishwakarma, Director Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hydrabad, Prof Javid Iqbal, Prof and Head of Bio-Physics Department, AIIMS, New Delhi, Prof T P Singh and Prof A R Yousuf and Prof Farooq Ahmad from Kashmir University, Central Coordinator Human Genetics Research Centre, GMC, Jammu, Prof Rajive Gupta, Chief Scientist, IIIM, Dr R K Raina, Scientist-G, Union Department of Science and Technology Dr Akhilesh Gupta and Commissioner Secretary Science and Technology, Vipul Pathak.
Stating that good science teachers are imperative for development of science and technology, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for identifying science teachers to be trained to impart scientific knowledge to the students inculcating in them the interest and enthusiasm in this field. He also stressed the need for establishing Science Museums, Planetariums and Science Ghars to provide opportunities to the students to get acclimatized with scientific knowledge.
The Chief Minister asked the Committee to find out scientific mechanism for utilizing large quantity of weeds available in Dal Lake to produce energy. He said that the pilot projects started by IIIM to encourage Pharma and Aroma sectors in Jammu and Kashmir should be converted into larger projects to harness the available potential in these fields to its maximum. He also called for strategizing the expansion of leather industry in the State. He stressed on enhancing the orbit of research and development in the field of agriculture and allied activities.
Minister for Science and Technology, Aga Syed Ruhulla gave resume of the measures S&T Department has taken to realize the goal of creating scientific temperament in the State and utilizing S&T interventions in the field of development and employment generation.
In his PowerPoint presentation, Director IIIM, Dr Vishwakarma presented the road map for achieving goals identified in the field of developing bio-pharma, botanical drug manufacturing, cultivation of medicinal and aroma plants and introducing new mega projects in the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Meanwhile, Mr Omar launched the e-portal for Health and Medical Education Department to effect e-procurement of drugs, equipments, hospital furniture, sanitation items, housekeeping material, kits and disposables.
This is the 6th department where e-tendering has been put into practice under the directions of the Chief Minister during last two years while many more are in the pipeline.
On the occasion Minister for Health, Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Medical Education, R. S. Chib, Minister for Science and Technology, Aga Syed Ruhulla, Principal Secretary Finance, M. Iqbal Khandey, Commissioner Secretary IT, Vipul Pathak, Secretary Health and Medical Education, M. K. Dwivedi, Director ISM, Dr. Kabir Dar, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Dr. Saleem-ul-Rehman, In-Charge Principal Medical College, Srinagar, Rafeeq Ahmad Pampori, Principal Dental College, Srinagar, Dr. Riyaz and various other senior officers were present in the meeting.
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