Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has called upon researchers to provide scientific inputs for the development of key sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, forest conservation, and water management in the State.
Delivering the inaugural address at the Scientists’ Interface meet organised by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) here on Wednesday, Mr. Chandy said research inputs in priority sectors were critical for the social and economic development of the State. He exhorted scientists to make use of the available facilities and resources to come up with innovations that would contribute to nation-building. He assured that the government would try to create an environment for young scientists to realise their full potential.
Mr. Chandy said the State government was ready to hand over the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) to the Centre. Citing the examples of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) and the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, he said both the institutions had been carefully nurtured by the State before being transferred to the Centre for further development. “The decision to hand over JNTBGRI is guided by the view that the growth of the institution is more important than its administration,” he said.
Mr. Chandy released a handbook on research scientists in various disciplines in the State. He also released the latest issue of Sastra, a tri-monthly published by the KSCSTE. KSCSTE executive vice-president V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai presided over the function.
