Northeast Gets Major Science Infra Boost: Jitendra Singh
Minister says expansion of weather radars, geospatial technology and NECTAR projects is transforming the Northeast
- Dr. Jitendra Singh reviews science and technology institutions in Shillong.
- Northeast now has 13 weather radars, up from just two before 2014.
- NECTAR inaugurates advanced Geo-Informatics Laboratory.
- Nearly 130 technology-driven projects underway across the region.
GG News Bureau
Shillong, 14th July: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr. Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said the Northeast has witnessed an unprecedented expansion of scientific infrastructure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, significantly strengthening disaster preparedness, research and technology-driven development.
Reviewing the functioning of science and technology institutions at the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) in Shillong, the Minister said the region had only two weather radars before 2014, including one in Meghalaya despite Cherrapunji recording the world’s highest rainfall. Today, the Northeast has 13 weather radars, while the number of seismological observatories has increased from 84 to 171. Lightning detection stations have also been established in Meghalaya and Tripura.
Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated NECTAR’s state-of-the-art Geo-Informatics Laboratory and reviewed nearly 130 ongoing and completed projects covering agriculture, disaster management, geospatial mapping, water resources, drone technology, remote sensing and scientific research.
He said NECTAR has become a key institution in translating advanced scientific research into practical solutions that directly benefit farmers, entrepreneurs and rural communities across the Northeast.
The Minister also witnessed demonstrations of the Mobile Food Processing Unit, jointly developed by NECTAR and CSIR-CFTRI, describing it as a “processing on wheels” initiative that enables value addition at the farm level and promotes entrepreneurship among small and marginal farmers.
Reviewing projects under the PM-DevINE programme, he appreciated the establishment of the Vasundhara Soil Organic Carbon Detection Laboratory-cum-Manufacturing Unit, developed using technology transferred from BARC. The initiative has already distributed nearly 2,500 soil testing kits and aims to build a comprehensive soil health database for the region.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also visited the STEM Education Laboratory, which promotes robotics, coding, artificial intelligence and 3D printing. He said 50 STEM laboratories are being established across five Northeastern states in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, benefiting nearly 25,000 students, particularly in remote areas.
The newly inaugurated Geo-Informatics Laboratory is equipped with 17 advanced drones, including LiDAR and hyperspectral-enabled platforms, and has already supported projects covering more than 2,000 square kilometres in forest carbon assessment, biodiversity conservation, mining restoration and disaster resilience. Drone-based mapping has also covered over 700 villages under the SVAMITVA Scheme.
Highlighting NECTAR’s capacity-building efforts, the Minister said the Centre has trained 569 drone technicians, 247 GIS and Remote Sensing professionals, 107 certified drone pilots, and over 4,500 students in emerging technologies, creating livelihood opportunities for more than 190 youth in the Northeast.
He also reviewed the progress of NECTAR’s permanent campus at New Shillong and expressed confidence that the institution would emerge as a national hub for geospatial science, drone technology, artificial intelligence and technology-enabled rural development, contributing significantly to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
