BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday announced to set up a Odisha Marine Biotechnology Research and Innovation Corridor to strengthen the marine biotech sector in the state.
Addressing the scientists at an award ceremony organised by Odisha Bigyan Academy, he said, “Through this innovation corridor, a roadmap will be prepared to harness the bio-potential of the Bay of Bengal along the eastern coast by bringing together various stakeholders like academics, researchers and entrepreneurs. A network of planetariums and science centres will be set up to promote the advancements in science and technology.”
The chief minister said science and technology are the pillars of development. The objective is to take the state to the forefront of economic development by conducting research at the grassroots level and bringing about extensive progress in the field of science and technology, he said.
Majhi said in space science, many successful experiments like Chandrayaan, Aditya, Mangalyaan and Gaganyaan have established India as a scientifically developed country in the world.
The chief minister presented the senior scientist award to Prof Raj Kishore Paramguru, Subhranshu Shekhar Mohapatra, Prof Krushna Chandra Mohanty, R Bhima Rao and Prof Malaya Kumar Mishra, while Prof Kshirod Kumar Jena was conferred the Biju Patnaik Award for scientific excellence.
Similarly, Rabindranath Majhi and Tulsi Swain were awarded the Pranakrushna Parija popular science book award, Sanghamitra Samantaray and Bedangadas Mohanty, Prof Subrata Kumar Panda and Prof Pinaki Dutt were honoured with the Samanta Chandrasekhar award and Sarit Shekhar Pattanaik, Apramita Chand, Rajesh Kumar Prusty and Sanjay Kumar Panda received the young scientist award.