Guwahati Met office to have Doppler Radar: SIbal

Guwahati, Oct 15 (UNI) The Centre will instal a Doppler radar in the Met office here to know the impact of less rainfall in the North East this year and its future effects.

Union Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal today said his department has decided to introduce a number of measures in the North-eastern states for development of infrastructure, capacity building and competence of indigenous youth.

Talking to mediapersons here after a three-day visit of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, he said the department has stressed on the use of local resources and building local talent to make these states prosperous.

''Otherwise, both money and materials would continue to flow outside, depriving development of the region,'' he pointed out.

Stressing on the economic integration of the states, he said Arunachal Pradesh, with its area of 84,000 square km, could alone make the entire nation rich by using the resources properly.

The Minister informed that a mega programme has been undertaken under National Mission on Bamboo Application (NMBA) to use the available bamboo abundantly.

Pointing out at the energy generation potential in Arunachal, he said the department has decided to support macro and mini hydel projects below 100 kw in the region to be set up by state science and technology councils.

The two states have already started a few such projects, he informed.

He said most of the states in the country were suffering due to over dependence on Central schemes for carrying out developmental activities and warned ''in such a situation economic growth of the state could suffer.'' Mr Sibal said apart from those measures, after discussions with the state government, he also agreed to adopt four colleges from both the states to improve their science departments and impart technical training to the educated youth at Kolkata.

UNI MT JYN LL HT1855