Union Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone for the permanent campus of the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) at Mawdiangdiang here today.
NECTAR, an autonomous institute under the central government’s Department of Science and Technology, is dedicated to leveraging technology for socio-economic development in the North East.
In his address, Singh expressed his pleasure at the establishment of NECTAR’s permanent campus and State Technology Demonstration Centre, calling it a “landmark moment” in the journey of NECTAR.
NECTAR was established in 2014 and has steadily expanded its reach across all eight North East states, he added. “NECTAR has grown from infancy under the patronage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today, with its own premises, this institution is setting a new benchmark in the transformation of the North East.”
He commended NECTAR’s initiatives, including Mission Saffron, launched in 2021, which is introducing saffron cultivation in the North East. “Last year, we secured the GI tag for Jammu and Kashmir saffron. Now, the North East has the potential to emerge as India’s next saffron hub,” Singh remarked. He also lauded the establishment of the STEM Education Lab in Shillong, developed in collaboration with IISER Pune and Smart Village Movement, which will empower students from 100 schools with cutting-edge technology like electronics, robotics and 3D printing.
He also spoke about NECTAR’s role in drone technology and also acknowledged the institute’s efforts in flood vulnerability assessments, using GIS and remote sensing technologies to mitigate risks in Morigaon, Dhubri and Majuli districts.
The minister encouraged NECTAR to carve a distinct identity, urging the institute to focus on specific sectors and maximise its human, academic and natural resources and advised it to be a driving force for ‘Atmanirbhar North East’ and Viksit Bharat.
