Chief minister Arjun Munda along with Speaker CP Singh and deputy chief ministers Sudesh Mahto and Hemant Soren, inspects an instrument at the science centre in Ranchi on Monday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, Nov. 29: Chief minister Arjun Munda today inaugurated the first Regional Science Centre of the state in Chirondi village near Tagore Hill. He promised to extend all possible help for setting up similar centres in Dumka and other parts of the state.

Munda said this centre would play a crucial role in improving scientific knowledge of children and eliminating poverty. He urged students to associate themselves with science and improve technology to efficiently fight challenges of the global economy.

“At present, all of us have a pen in our pocket but do we have a single pen-manufacturing unit in Jharkhand? Similarly, millions of people in India worship Lord Ganesha, but our market is flooded by Chinese Ganesha idols,” said Munda.

He said every field required scientific acumen, adding this was perhaps why humanities was also termed as social sciences. “In Jharkhand, my government will give boost to vocational training. There will be a polytechnic in every sub-division and an ITI in all blocks. The government will set targets to train rural youths,” Munda said.

The sprawling 4,200sqm centre on a 13-acre campus has been developed by National Council of Science Museum, a wing of Union ministry of culture, with the help of Jharkhand Council of Science and Technology, a wing of the state science and technology department at a total cost of Rs 12.22 crore. Fifty per cent of the funds were made available by the Centre.

Director-general of National Council of Science Museum B.S. Raoutela said the science centre in Ranchi was the biggest of its kind in the country. There are over 42 such regional centres across India. “I sincerely request the state government to ensure proper upkeep of this centre as those in northeastern states are not yielding desired results,” Routela added.

Science and technology minister Chandra Prakash Choudhary maintained that over 17 acres were available on the premises. This will be used for setting up a planetarium by March 2012.

Department’s principal secretary Sudhir Prasad said the jobs of gardeners, security guards, caterers, et al had been outsourced to land donors. Ramkrishna Mission would co-ordinate the training programme.

Union food processing minister Subodh Kant Sahay, though directed by the Prime Minister’s Office to participate in the celebrations, failed to show up.

Repeated power cuts too disrupted the celebrations.