Jharkhand CM chairs science council meet, pushes innovation and research ecosystem

Ranchi: Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the general body of Jharkhand Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, stressing the need to strengthen research, innovation and technology-driven education across the state.

Meeting, held at the state secretariat under higher and technical education department, focused on promoting science and technology, encouraging research and building an innovation-oriented academic environment in institutions. Emphasis was laid on making science and technology more effective in driving overall development of Jharkhand.

Soren said the state has no shortage of talent, resources or potential, but requires proper direction, platforms and institutional support to harness these strengths. He reiterated the government’s commitment to creating a future-ready ecosystem by connecting youth, researchers, students and technical institutions with innovation.

Discussions covered expanding science outreach, boosting research activities, promoting innovation culture and improving coordination among academic institutions, research bodies and stakeholders. It was noted that technology-driven initiatives can create new opportunities for youth and help move Jharkhand towards knowledge-based development.

The Chief Minister directed officials to make council activities result-oriented and prepare a concrete roadmap to promote research, startups, innovation and technology-based learning in higher and technical institutions. He also stressed linking scientific advancements with practical needs of society and governance.

Reviewing outreach initiatives, Soren asked officials to ensure operation of mobile science exhibition buses across all 24 districts so that students and the public can benefit. He said such initiatives are vital to take science to grassroots level.

He also called for promoting technological and mechanical innovations in agriculture to make farming more efficient and productive. Stressing wider engagement, he said science cities should attract people of all age groups and serve as centres of learning and inspiration.

The Chief Minister reviewed progress of under-construction science centres and planetariums across districts and directed authorities to develop them as high-quality, accessible and useful public institutions. He also suggested arranging educational visits for government school students to science cities and planetariums in different parts of the country to encourage scientific thinking and curiosity.

The meeting was attended by Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu, MLA Vikas Munda, Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar, Development Commissioner Ajay Kumar Singh and other senior officials.

CM bats for environment conservation during development

Ranchi: A high-level review meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, was held today at the Jharkhand Secretariat with officials from the Department of Urban Development and Housing, the Department of Road Construction, and the Department of Tourism.

During the meeting, a detailed review was conducted regarding various critical issues related to the holistic urban development of the state capital, Ranchi; the strengthening of infrastructure; the expansion of civic amenities; the progress of Smart City projects; and tourism development.

During the proceedings, the Chief Minister issued clear directives that environmental conservation must be accorded the highest priority during the execution of development works.

He further emphasized that, during the implementation of all schemes, special care must be taken to ensure that nature is not subjected to any form of damage.

Additionally, strong emphasis was placed on promoting tree plantation and taking concrete measures to maintain ecological balance.

The Chief Minister underscored the necessity of developing the Ranchi Smart City project in a more effective and systematic manner.

During this session, various aspects of revenue generation—through e-auctions and other mediums—were discussed in detail.

Hemant Soren directed officials to ensure that all schemes undertaken within the Smart City framework are practical and designed to serve the public interest.

The meeting also placed special emphasis on the proper and planned utilization of assets falling under the respective departmental master plans. The Chief Minister directed that the maximum and most effective utilization of available resources be ensured in order to accelerate the pace of development activities.

Schemes related to the Department of Tourism were also reviewed. During this segment, various projects were showcased through 3D animations and video presentations.

The Chief Minister issued necessary directives regarding the holistic development of tourist destinations, their attractive presentation, and the expansion of improved visitor amenities.