Aryabhatta Science Centres would be the nursery for future scientists in Assam: CM

Tarun Gogoi,Chief Minister of Assam, speaking at the central function of Aryabhatta Science Centre at Pragjyoti ITA centre, Guwahati on August 12 at 11 am, stressed the need to motivate the young generation to persue science education and to spread scientific temper among people of the state. It needs mention that government of Assam has already set up 219 Aryabhatta Science centres ,one in each developmental blocks of Assam for making science popular and useful among people.Chief Minister also said that human resource was the most valuable asset and there had been no dearth of talent in the state. He said that such centres could easily solve numbers of local problems of the farmer community. He appreciated the role played by ASTEC (Assam Science Technology and Environment Council) headed by its director Dr.S K Choudhury.

Science and Technology minister of Assam Dr.Himanta Biswa Sarma, while speaking on the occasion said that ASTEC, earlier was just involved in scientific enquiry within limited confines. But now it was gearing up to connect into needs at the grass root. The session was also addressed by Niraj Bajaj, IAS, secretary, science & technology, Assam; Dr.S.K.Choudhury, director ASTEC; Dr.H.K. Barman, HOD i/c ,S&T,ASTEC and Joydeep Baruah, Environmental head of ASTEC. Pratik Hajela, DC, Kamrup Metro also attended the session.

Two students under the guidance of the block coordinator of Aryabhatta Science Centre (219 in Assam) attended the programme. CM distributed an amount of Rs.36500/- along with a colour TV,DVD player with 40 Nos of scientific CDs to each of the centres. The money would be utilized for arranging block level science quiz, model making and other competitions. The winners from the block levels would compete in the district level competitions, An amount of Rs.60,000 was distributed to the Nodal Officers nominated by the DCs. The CM also announced that students who would show excellence in the state level would be taken on scientific tours to reputed institutions like ISRO etc. When the CM announced that government of Assam would also send 10 successful students and coordinators abroad for scientific exposure. Moreover a soil testing kit would be made available in each centre so as to help farmers of the villages. Two mobile vans demonstrating the use of unconventional energy were also launched on the occasion. The vans would travel the villages of the state. Several hundred students and teachers cheered with loud applaud at the declaration of the CM.Latter of the day,noted scientist Dr.Dinesh Chandra Goswami with his story telling science speech entertained the students as well as others.

The interaction of students with noted scientists had been the star attraction of the day. Noted scientists –Dr. Dinesh Chandra Goswami, Dr.S.K.Choudhuri, Dr.R.K. Barman answered volleys of questions on different topics.