Kimin (Arunachal Pradesh), November 9 (PTI): Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid special focus on the North-east to develop the neglected region at par with most developed states like Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Inaugurating a Centre of Excellence for Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development and a Rural Technology Demonstration Centre at Kimin in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology said the facility has been established in the North-eastern state as it will greatly help in improving the socioeconomic status of tribal people in the state.
Dr Singh expressed hope that the centre would open new avenues of livelihood and self-employment for the youth besides facilitating the development of biodiversity and related sectors like horticulture and agriculture.
The Centre which has three units, including Orchidarium, Banana Fibre processing unit and Aroma unit would create awareness, educate youths and provide them self-employment opportunities through biotechnology intervention, the minister said.
He said that the Centre for Bioresources and Sustainable Development has also established academic linkages with several ICAR, CSIR institutions for efficient implementation of programmes as they will create opportunities for prospective young entrepreneurs of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Centre will help 10,000 farmers of 50 villages in four districts of the state.
The facility would help the farmers in doubling their income through biotechnology intervention as it would enable them to adopt multiple cropping and inter-cropping, the minister said.
The minister also launched the Skill Vigyan Programme in Biotechnology in the state.
State Minister of Science and Technology Honchun Ngandam submitted a memorandum to the Union minister for taking over the Centre at Kimin under the Union Science and Technology ministry.
Ngandam also urged the minister for preparation of a river atlas of all important rivers of the state and a GIS-based agri-tourism infrastructural planning and demonstration of agri-tourism in two selected areas for promoting the sector.
A senior state government official said the Centre for Bioresources was established within a record period of three years, with the support and grant of Rs 49 crore by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Union Science and Technology ministry, and is the first-of-its-kind “Centre of Excellence” in the North-east.
.jpeg)
