‘Technology Facility Center’ at Jorhat, Assam

In another landmark initiative for the Northeast, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of new Science Centre, the “Technology Facility Centre” (TFC) in the premises of the CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology (NEIST) in Jorhat, Assam, yesterday.

The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) will bear the cost of setting up of this new Science Centre and has, to begin with, allocated Rs.40 crore for its construction. Present on this historic occasion were, among others, Member of Lok Sabha from Jorhat, Kamkhya Prasad Tasa, Director CSIR-NEIST Dr S. Chattopadhyaya, Chairman Research Council Dr G.N. Qazi, Secretary NEC (North-Eastern Council) Ram Muivah, Vice-Chancellor and National University, Dr Pardeshi Lal.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Northeast has vast scientific reserves waiting to be explored and he was happy that the Ministry of DoNER had come forward to help the Department of Science & Technology (S&T) and CSIR to institutionalise the technical applications for promoting research as well as job creation. He hoped that the new TFC will prove to be a boon for young aspiring youth and will emerge as a Center of Excellence for all the eight States of Northeast as well as the rest of India.

Dr Jitendra Singh referred to “North-Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project” (NERCORMP) and “North East Rural Livelihood Project” (NERLP), the two programmes run by the Ministry of DoNER and NEC, which were devoted to the cause of improving livelihood opportunities for unemployed youth, farmers, women and artisans. He expressed the hope that the new Center will serve as a technical and interventional catalyst for fast-track growth, which could eventually enable the North Eastern States to equal the success rate of some of the western States of India.