24 JAN , Delhi: Shri Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, on his maiden visit to the National Capital after taking over, called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh at the latter’s residence today.
During the meeting that lasted for over one and a half hour, the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister sought Central support and assistance in various sectors, especially horticulture and agriculture, Aroma mission and Lavender entrepreneurship, which could be utilised to make these sectors beneficial for livelihood, StartUps and people of the hill State in general.
The Union Minister assured all possible central assistance in technological advancement in every sector in Himachal Pradesh. The possibilities to create avenues for promoting agri-tech start-ups and replicate successful practices such as Lavender cultivation of Jammu were also discussed at length, during the meeting.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the mountainous states like Himachal Pradesh, which are full of natural resources, are not getting enough technological exposure to utilise their full potential. He assured the visiting Chief Minister full technological support, be it in the field of weather predictions through dopplers, providing weather alerts to farmers through SMSes or promoting agri-tech start-ups amongst the youth of the state.
The Union Minister said that there is a need to promote futuristic technology amongst youth of Himachal Pradesh so that they can take full advantage of the scientific revolution going on in the country. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has always advocated extensive use of science and technology in various spheres of life to extract maximum benefit of the technology.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that being a milk-rich state, dairy start-ups should be promoted in Himachal Pradesh. He also suggested engaging youth in start-ups in the state and said that more and more women should form Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to create more employment opportunities within the state.
The Union Minister said that Himachal Pradesh, being a land of diverse resources, could be a suitable place for a Biotech park. He assured all central assistance for the same to the Chief Minister.
The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister said that cloudburst is one of the common problems in Himachal Pradesh and it causes a lot of damage to crops and forests. The Union Minister said that 100 percent weather accuracy through radars is possible which can help take preventive measures in such a scenario.
