Jharkhand to soon have its 1st Science City to boost 'tourism', innovation

Ranchi, Oct 11 (PTI) Jharkhand will soon have its first Science City in Ranchi and regional science centres in Jamshedpur and Dhanbad to promote "scientific tourism" and innovation in the state, an official said on Saturday.

The state government also proposed to set up science centres in every district of the state, he said.

Currently, Jharkhand has a regional science centre in Ranchi, which the government has now decided to upgrade into a Science City, said Dr Raj Shekhar Prasad, executive director at Jharkhand Council on Science, Technology and Innovation (JCSTI).

An additional land of 26 acres has already been provided for the purpose, he added.

“The regional science centre in Ranchi is spread over 17 acres of land. Science City is a major project, with only one established per state. Therefore, additional land was required to upgrade the regional science centre to a Science City. The Ranchi administration has allotted 26 acres of land adjacent to the regional centre,” Prasad told PTI.

JCSTI is a government body, which serves as a platform for promoting and popularising science, technology and innovation in the state.

Prasad said a detailed project report (DPR) for the state's first Science City has been prepared by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an autonomous society under the Union Ministry of Culture, which is awaiting nod from the state cabinet.

Once it is approved by the state cabinet, the proposal will be forwarded to the Centre for final approval, he added.

The Regional Science Centre, which was established in 2010, currently has three galleries of exhibits.

Six more galleries of exhibits would be added after its upgradation to a Science City, Prasad said.

The project would cost around Rs 270 crore, another official said.

The construction of Science City will help promote "scientific tourism" in Ranchi and foster a deeper understanding of science and technology among visitors, he said.

Prasad said two Regional Science Centres are also proposed in Jamshedpur and Dhanbad, and the process for the project is underway.

The two cities were selected on the basis of their population, he added.

“There is a proposal to set up science centres in the remaining districts. The process to set up district science centres has started in many districts.

In Deoghar, the construction of a planetarium in Nandan Kanan hill and a science centre is underway.

The planetarium is likely to be handed over to JCSTI this year, Prasad said.

The administration has allotted an old ITI building for the establishment of a district science centre in Sahibganj district's Rajmahal.

“We had demanded land from the Sahibganj administration for the district science centre. It provided an old ITI building, which is not functional. We recently inspected the building and approved it. Now, NCSM will prepare a DPR for it,” he added.

Dr Ranjit Kumar Singh, the principal of Model College, Rajmahal, said a science centre is required for Sahibganj, a tribal-majority district.

“The science centre will help students develop a practical understanding of modern subjects like robotics, space science, climate change, and energy conservation. It will inspire future generations towards innovation and research,” Singh, also a renowned geologist, told PTI.

The similar centres in Giridih, Gumla and Lohardaga are also under process, Prasad said. PTI SAN BDC