- NET Web Desk
The Minister of Agriculture & Horticulture – Lok Nath Sharma chaired a joint coordination meeting with the visiting delegates of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) at Palampur in Himachal Pradesh; in order to discuss on the proposal for the establishment of CSIR thematic regional centre in Sikkim.
The follow-up meeting was held today, after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 17, 2022.
It was attended by the Director of CSIR-IHBT – Dr. Sanjay Kumar; Senior Principal Scientist – Dr. Ram Kumar Sharma; Scientist – Dr. Rakshak Kumar; and Scientist – Dr. Vidyashankar Srivastan from CSIR-IHBT, Palampur.
The meeting was also attended by the Secretary of Agriculture Department – JD Bhutia; Principal Director of Horticulture Department – SK Tamang, Principal Director of Agriculture Department – Tilak Gazmer; Director of Pakyong NRC – Dr. Rampal; Joint Director of ICAR – Dr. Ramgopal Laha; Director of Horticulture Department – MK Subba; Director of Science & Technology Department – D T Bhutia; Additional Director of Horticulture Department – BL Dahal; Senior Professor – Dr. Shanti S. Sharma; Professor Laxuman Sharma from Sikkim University and officers.
The meeting had a thorough discussion on the proposal for the establishment of the Thematic Regional Centre of CSIR/IHBT in Sikkim and taking up a cluster-based incubation center in onward action.
It was decided to constitute a joint committee comprising officers from the department of Agriculture, Horticulture, Science and Technology, ICAR-Sikkim state, Sikkim University, CSIR-IHBT, and all concerned.
During the meeting, Sharma emphasized on the need for a technology-based institute like IHBT-CSIR in Sikkim and suggested Director CSIR to prepare a Detail Project Report (DPR) in coordination with the committee. He also briefed on a series of actions to be undertaken in the onward process.
Meanwhile, the Director of CSIR-IHBT – Dr. Sanjay Kumar, noted that there is tremendous potential for resources in the state which would be supportive of embracing the objectives of the proposed establishment.
