BHUBANESWAR: Nearly a year after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s announcement, the Science and Technology department has decided to set up science Park in all district headquarters of the State.
The district science centres (DSCs) will be set up under a sub scheme of State Council on Science and Technology. The objective of the DSCs is to popularise science and technology among people in general and students in particular, sources in the department said.
The proposed science centres will organise out-of-school education activities to foster scientific temper and creativity among students. The State Government will provide initial funding for required infrastructure of the DSC/science park while the district development authorities or the civic bodies concerned will be the assigned the responsibility for their maintenance.
The district Collectors have been advised to form a society to be called Zilla Bigyan Prasar Samiti (ZBPS) under their chairmanship. The ZBPS will be in charge of operation and management of these centres.
The State Government will bear the recurring expenditure of these centres for the first five years after which it will be borne by the local body or ZBPS.
A tripartite agreement will be signed between the State Council on Science and Technology, Science and Technology department and the local body/ZBPS for upkeep and maintenance including payment of staff salary of the DSCs.Currently, two science centres are functional in Bhubaneswar and Dhenkanal.