Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday asked the younger generation to take up innovative research in health and environment area to improve the quality of life of people.
Inaugurating the National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) here, Patnaik said scientific progress is important for a nation’s growth and technology plays a very important role in “improving the quality of our lives.”
“I think it is our collective responsibility to inspire the younger generation to take up innovative research in this direction”, the Chief Minister said adding the younger generation should be inspired to take up innovative research in science and technology.
He stated health and environment have emerged as the two major concerns of our times. “The themes of this year’s Congress ‘Science, Technology and innovation for a clean, green and healthy nation’ has been aptly chosen as health and environment have emerged as two major concern of our times,” he added.
The Chief Minister highlighted that his government is focusing a lot on development of scientific temper among the children by organising various science based programmes at different levels.
The government, he said, is establishing science parks and planetariums at district levels to create interest among children in various aspects of science and technology.
The Chief Minister released a special postal cover to mark the occasion.
The NCSC is being held in the city for the second time after 2005. More than 800 children from across the country and 15 other countries are attending the five-day event. In addition to the participating children, around 400 teachers, guides, facilitators and parents are also attending the event.