Keshab Mahanta calls on DoNER minister, demands IIRS

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 14: State Science & Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta today called on the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh at North Block in New Delhi and discussed issues related to the priority projects of the Assam Government in the fields of science & technology and IT.

Mahanta expressed his Government’s keenness to bring Assam at par with other States of the country in terms of application of science & technology, remote sensing and satellite technology.

He also said that AS Kiran Kumar, Chairman, ISRO had visited Assam and discussed various applications of science in governce and development projects.

Singh said that the ISRO and the Department of Space has wide range of applications to offer which went beyond the confines of simply launching of satellites or rockets, but unfortutely all these applications were either not fully understood or not fully utilized.

He explained, how in the Ministry of DoNER, he had introduced the use of satellite imaging not only for survey of roads and building construction, but also for preparation of Utilization Certificates with fool-proof accuracy which not only helps in saving time, but also reduces the possibility of any manipulation or maneuvering.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that he had also suggested to Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal that the services of Assam Remote Sensing Application Center (ARSAC) should be utilized to a greater extent in the field of urban development and construction of smart cities.

The NESAC (North-Eastern Space Application Centre) in Shillong can also be asked to collaborate with the Government’s initiatives in Guwahati, he added.

Mahanta submitted a memorandum for establishing Regiol Node / Center of Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) and Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST) in Assam.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that he would process this request and ask the scientists in the Department of Space to collaborate with the State Government for working out the feasibility of this proposal.