E-Paper
Science City?s fate to be decided soon
THE FATE of the much-awaited northern India's first Science City project in Allahabad is likely to be decided by Human Resource Development Ministry in next two weeks.
THE FATE of the much-awaited northern India's first Science City project in Allahabad is likely to be decided by Human Resource Development Ministry in next two weeks.
The project, which was sanctioned three years ago, was supposed to be completed in 2007. The prime reason behind the delay is said to be HRD Ministry's lack of interest following the change of government at the Centre.
Significantly, the foundation stone of northern India's first Science City was laid in Naini here by the then Union Human Resource Development and Science and Technology Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi on August 9, 2003.
Joshi, who was representing Allahabad in Lok Sabha, had even released a fund of Rs 14.43 Crore against the total project cost of Rs 94 crore with immediate effect. This fund has already been transferred in the account of Science City Society.
The land has been provided free of cost by the Uttar Pradesh government. A portion of the land will be used for the construction of the buildings and the remaining area will be developed as Science Park. The society has acquired an area of 30 acres so far.
YK Upadhyay was appointed as the Officer on Special Duty for the Science City Project, who despite making all efforts, has failed to get the work started. When contacted, he told the HT Allahabad Live that he was waiting for the nod of the HRD Ministry in this connection.
However, the sources said that the HRD ministry did not want to go ahead with the project for Allahabad. Science City Governing Body had not been reconstituted by the HRD Minister despite expiry of its tenure. According to the rules of the Science City, the governing body is reconstituted every year.
Interestingly, the tenure of the committee expired in September 2003, but the HRD Minister despite several reminders did not reconstitute the committee.
Sources alleged that since HRD Minister Arjun Singh had taken over the charge he had been reversing all the decisions, especially the projects sanctioned by former Union Human Resource Development and Science and Technology Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi.
The Science City at Allahabad was aimed at making the people aware of development, education, communication and entertainment in various fields of science and technology. Science centres non-formally teach different principles of science and technology through hands-on interactive exhibits-- a method which has been proved to be very effective all over the world.
The Science City, Allahabad will have four major areas- Curriculum supplement, face with messages of science and technology, experience-based learning, learning science outside the four walls, fun science hall, open lab, science voyages and science park.
