Bhopal: ‘Role of science, technology councils important in building regional ecosystem’

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The role of science and technology councils is important in building the regional ecosystem for science technology and innovation in the country, said Debapriya Dutta.

Advisor and Head, SEED and SSTP Division of Science and Technology, Govt of India, Dutta was speaking on the inaugural day of a three-day annual meeting of the science and technology councils of different states at Amer Greens hotel in the city on Monday. Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology (MPCST), Bhopal, has organised the event for the first time.

Dutta informed about the meeting and about the plans of DST. “We cooperate with 29 science and technology councils of the country under the programme and our plan is to encourage the ecosystem of science technology and innovation at the state level,” he said.

He further said “We have included 6 parameters to catalyse science, technology and innovation, which are research and development, institutional and human resource development, innovation, technological development for socio-economic development, science communication, science based schemes of the state.”

Director of MPCST, Bhopal, Anil Kothari welcomed the heads of the institutions from other states of the country. He said that the meeting would be successful in achieving its objectives as well as it will become a powerful medium to develop the STI system for science technology and innovation.

IIT Mumbai Prof B Satish Agnihotri presided over the event. He said that important work was being done for the development of science and technology in the country.

The annual meeting is organised by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India every year at different places in the country. It is attended by the Director General/Member Secretary and senior scientists of the Science and Technology Councils of the states. During this, the expert committee constituted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, is reviewed by eminent scientists of the country and suggestions are made for new activities / programmes.