Jorhat, June 19: An innovation hub, where youths can nurture creative ideas in science, will come up on the Jorhat Science Centre and Planetarium (JSCP) premises under a joint initiative of the Centre and the state.

The proposed hub, costing Rs 1.5 crore, will be first of its kind in Upper Assam and second in the state after Guwahati.

The centre's curator Pranabjyoti Chetia told The Telegraph today that the hub would be established within the centre complex under the Scheme for Promoting Innovation, Creativity And Engagement in Science (SPICES) of the National Council of Science Museums under the Union culture ministry in collaboration with the state science and technology department.

Chetia, however, said the formal announcement in this regard was due, but unofficially the JSCP had been intimated about the project and the process to set up the hub was under way. A meeting of stakeholders would be held in this regard, added the curator.

Chetia, a doctorate in physics, said the Centre and the state would equally fund the proposed hub from which the student community is expected to benefit a lot.

"The objective of the initiative is to provide a platform to youths in general and students in particular so that they can nurture their scientific ideas and thoughts and turn them into innovations to help solve the local problems."

There is already an environment of academic and research activities in Upper Assam with a large number of educational as well as scientific research institutions functioning with Jorhat having the most.

"The hub, to be linked other scientific organisations, will function as a laboratory where anything new, under any branch of science, could be tried upon. It will be equipped with adequate modern infrastructure and resources. Scientists will also help students in their studies at the hub," said Chetia.

Last month, two schoolgirls from Jorhat qualified to display their science models at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2015, said to be world's largest pre-college science competition, held at Pittsburgh in the US.

The JSCP, under the Assam Science Technology and Environment Council of the state science and technology department, is only of its kind in Upper Assam. It was established on July 6, 2013, to develop scientific conscience among people, especially youths across the region.

Upper Assam district school students often visit the centre as part of educational tours.