CEs to promote biodiversity

Bhopal, Oct 25: With the objective of promoting biodiversity, the Madhya Pradesh Council Of Science and Technology (MPCOST) will establish Centres of Excellence in the state. ''The centres -- whose setting up coincides with completion of MPCOST's silver jubilee -- will serve as a medium for enhancing scientific efficiency, technical capability, quality control, according priority to work relating to medicinal and aromatic herbs,'' MPCOST Working Committee Chairman Mahesh Sharma told reporters here today.
The conclusion of the jubilee year would be marked by a three-day Indian Science Conference to get underway here on November 23. The October 27 meeting of MPCOST's Permanent Committee would provide final shape to Conference programmes. A Youth Science Conference is also on the cards.
''Decisions were taken to constitute a Madhya Pradesh Science and Technology Network for MPCOST's statewide expansion, make the Council's Remote-Sensing Centre more effective, initiating programmes for improving MPCOST activities and recruiting scientists,'' Dr Sharma added.
The centres would focus on special skill upgradation of students, youth, farmers, craftspersons and women in the unorganised sector. In three months, MPCOST intends to create a network with two other agencies.
''The Remote-Sensing Centre has begun working on a project affiliated to the Indian Space Research Organisation and on schemes related to the state government's Education, Public Health, Tourism, Environment and Housing departments. Through the medium of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, the Remote-Sensing Centre has taken up a programme for improving potable water sources,'' Dr Sharma explained. Data was prepared on 80,000 of the state's total four lakh sources and a Telemedicine Scheme prepared.