News: Haryana government will earmark land for Science City in Gurugram-03-12-2020
GURUGRAM: The state government is looking at land in several Gurgaon villages for the Science City project, which was proposed over two years ago. Once completed, it will be the first Science City in Delhi-NCR and Haryana.
On Wednesday, officials from the state department of science and technology, as well as the Union ministry of culture and the Haryana Space Application Centre (HARSAC), visited Hajipur, Nimoth, Rahaka, and Ghamroj villages to identify land for the project.
The Science City, which aims to promote science education among the youth, will be set up in collaboration with the Centre on about 30 acres of land. Officials from the science and technology department said a detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared after a location is decided upon for the project. The city is expected to be built in two years after the DPR is ready.
The project is expected to cost about Rs 500 crore, which will be borne equally by the central and state governments. So far, three states have a Science City each — West Bengal (Kolkata), Punjab (Jalandhar) and Gujarat (Ahmedabad).
The Science City will be developed under the aegis of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) under the ministry of culture. It will be built on a more ambitious scale than Kolkata’s Science City, officials said.
“The Science City will be developed to give practical information about science to the youth of the state so that they can understand science-related facts. We also plan to develop scientific facilities with the help of the Indian Research Space Organization (ISRO),” an official said.
The additional chief secretary of the state science and technology department, Amit Jha, said,
“The Science City will also provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to the people of the region. ISRO will be roped in to set up a space gallery at the site. An innovation hub will also be developed where students will be able to work on their ideas.”
Around two years ago, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar met Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma for the project, and the latter had given in-principle approval for the proposal.
The culture ministry’s Science City scheme provides for the setting up of a Science City in every state of the country, subject to the availability of funds for this purpose.
