From the Desk of Director General

      Science & Technology has been the contrivance and yardstick of development in today’s world. Science & Technology is one of the instruments that has brought social change in our Country. India’s contributions in diverse areas of S&T have been significant since the pre-historic and Vedic times till today. Indian capabilities in Science and Technology cover an impressive range of diverse disciplines, areas of competence and of applications. India’s strength in basic research is globally recognized. Chhattisgarh also have had an enduring history of Science and Technology; the foot-prints can be seen embedded deep into its rich-vibrant culture and tradition. Chhattisgarh is affluent in nature and is primarily dominated by tribal communities. The State is endowed with extraordinary rich biodiversity and mineral wealth.

       While the influence of Science and Technology has been gratifying, administrative preparedness and good governance will have to be ensured for the desirable future with vivid changes and a healthy interrelationship between science and society.

       To keep pace with the ever changing domain of Science & Technology, State has established Chhattisgarh Council of Science & Technology in the year 2001. The operation domains of this Council are to promote, popularize and support scientific activities and execute S&T application programmes in the State. The Council is also a focal point of Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Indian Space Research Organization, Government of India, for execution of National mandate.

       Government of Chhattisgarh endeavours to achieve highest attainable level of physical, mental, and social wellbeing of its citizens through processes that will empower local communities and citizens, be equitable and gender sensitive, and reduce poverty in the State.

       The Council over the years has developed knowledge network with National and State level Institutions, Universities and Colleges. Council also extends R&D and application oriented technical support to Development Departments of the State. The Science & Technology popularization programs of the Council are designed to disseminate scientific knowledge, create scientific awareness and to develop scientific temper amongst the people and younger generation; various technologies developed and upgraded within and outside the State are screened and sourced for the welfare of the people and skilling & re-skilling the people to adopt and adept to the new technology through Technology Transfer and Technology Village Programmes; a state of art Central Laboratory is providing instrumentation and incubation facility to scientists, researchers, students and innovators of the State; Intellectual Property Right Centre is available to create awareness about Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), enable patent searches, and to guide the inventors in respect of filing of their Intellectual Property; Council also houses State Space Application Centre providing technical support to Government Departments of the State and other agencies in matters related to GIS and Remote Sensing Application, Natural Resources Management and other infrastructural developments of the State and other Scientific programmes and activities are run through the Council for the benefit of the Society.

       Council with its inherent objectives of overall development of Society with the S&T inputs has initiated several programmes for support of innovations and collaborative research. The Council has innovation fund programme for prototype development and mentorship for young and grassroot innovators of the State. Under the programme the Council apart from financial and mentorship support also provides access to laboratory facility to the innovator in association with its partner institutions in the State. Council's RS & GIS section is also taking up innovative tasks like Tree Outside Forest - for biodiversity conservation and green cover assessment and enhancement, the Project has been carried out as pilot study. Similar such studies and programmes are planned for the future as well.

       Since its inception the Council has achieved several milestones from the premises initially at Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University to the present well equipped building premises of 4 Acres and building area of about 10000 square feets including Ground +4 floors housing all the Divisions under one roof. In context with the initiation of activities in the State at early stages the Council focussed on Science popularisation programmes at School, College and University level. Then for the development of Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem the Council embarked upon Research and Developmental Promotional Activities by sanctioning Mini Research Projects, Seminar / Symposia / Conferences. Till date the students, researchers and academicians covered under these programmes is to the tune of about 5 lakhs. In one of the prominent programme Venus Transit an astronomical event with the Council's initiative was viewed by about 1.25 lakhs academicians, government officials and general masses. In the area of Remote Sensing and GIS Council houses a well equipped Remote sensing and GIS Lab which has been instrumental in several State specific Projects such as Land Records / Nazul Maps generation, Watershed Management, SIS-DP, Agriculture Residue Burning, Master Plan of 11 Major towns, Sericulture, FASAL Projects etc in the past 20 years since its inception. With the initiative of the Council for Science Popularization in the State a Science City and Regional Science Centre was established. Regional Science Centre now is functioning as an independent Society and benefitting the school students and general masses. Further for its expansion the Council has played important role in formulation of Innovation School, Planetarium, Mineral Museum, Science City Category 'B' are also coming up for enhancing the reach to the State's Diaspora.

      For the upliftment of S&T status at par with the National and international status Council envisages establishment of Artificial Intelligence Centre, Virology Research Centre and S&T Intervention Centres in the forthcoming years. Also augmentation of CLF, establishment of RS & GIS Training Centre specifically for officers of development Departments of the State, encourage Quality Research in field of medicinal plants, herbal drugs and ethno-medicines, further expansions of Innovation fund programme with more institutional linkages for grassroot innovators are some of the future plans being materialised for the S&T development in the State.

       Council shall continue its thrust towards involving Science and Technology to meet the progressively increasing demand of generation of premium skilled human resource at all levels and aim to meet the enhanced need of mass awareness pertaining to the importance of Science and Technology which impinge directly upon the society wider dissemination of scientific knowledge.

       Council solicits suggestions for including more activities and programmes which may endorse scientific knowledge and encourage innovation in the State.