Odisha to get six new planetariums

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced setting up of six more planetariums in the State and science centre in each of the 30 districts with an investment of Rs 100 crore.

Naveen made this announcement while laying the foundation of a planetarium at Rayagada and a district science centre at Jeypore in Koraput district through video-conferencing. Besides, it has been decided to develop the Pathani Samanta Planetarium in Bhubaneswar into a 3-D planetarium. 

The Chief Minister said if humanity has reached the pinnacle of civilisation today, it is due to science. Noting that science and development are two sides of the same coin, he said the State is progressing towards knowledge economy by the use of science and technology. He called upon students to nourish a scientific temperament to grow in life.    

The State government is taking a number of steps to encourage students to show more interest towards science, information technology, engineering and mathematics, he said. Participating in the foundation laying ceremony at Rayagada, Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Minister Jagannath Saraka said the proposed planetarium will promote scientific temper among students.

Thanking the Chief Minister for setting up a science centre at Jeypore, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Padmini Dian said it is good news for Koraput district. The centre will generate curiosity among students about science, she added. After Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur has the second planetarium of the State. It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister in 2017.

Highlighting the measures taken by the government under the leadership of the CM to promote science in the State, Science and Technology Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said the places where the planetariums will come up include Baripada, Keonjhar, Gopalpur and Jeypore.