New Delhi- In a significant move to position Bhubaneswar as a major hub for science and innovation in eastern India, the Odisha Government has formally sought central assistance for the establishment of a world-class Science City. The request was made during a meeting between Odisha’s Minister for Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare and Science & Technology, Sri Krushna Chandra Patra, and Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in New Delhi.
The proposed Science City is envisioned as an interactive space that promotes scientific learning, hands-on innovation, and research among students, scholars, and the wider public. Odisha has already earmarked 100 acres of land for the project and hopes that central government collaboration will help turn the vision into a landmark institution for the region. Minister Patra presented a formal proposal, emphasizing that this initiative aligns with the national goal of nurturing scientific temper and transforming India into a global innovation leader.
Dr. Jitendra Singh responded positively to the proposal, assuring that the Centre would examine it seriously and explore the next steps. He noted Odisha’s growing contribution to scientific progress and emphasized the need to strengthen existing facilities like CSIR laboratories and space research centers within the state.
Alongside the Science City plan, Odisha also placed several other proposals on the table, including the creation of an Astronomy Observatory, a Bay of Bengal Coastal Observatory under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and a dedicated Intellectual Property and Patent Facilitation Centre. Proposals under the Department of Biotechnology, the National Council for Science Museums, and the Ministry of Culture were also shared for central consideration.
Dr. Singh urged Odisha to leverage the Central Government’s Bio-E3 policy by establishing a Bio E-Cell in the state. He pointed out Odisha’s unique natural strengths, especially in the coastal and mineral zones, which could be strategically utilized under national initiatives like the Deep Ocean Mission to yield broader public benefits.
This meeting reflects a larger push to align state-level initiatives with the country’s science and technology vision, reinforcing the spirit of cooperative federalism and shared national progress.
