Omar links bio-diversity with economic strength
Srinagar: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Saturday said that the State's economic strength is in its rich bio-diversity and conducive environment to use it for sustained progress and development.
"While Kashmir Valley has rich potential for aroma, medicine, software, leather and agro-based industry, Jammu is viable place for these and other industries", he said emphasizing on taking best advantage of this variety.
Addressing the research scholars and faculty at IIIM Institute here, the Chief Minister said that the research being conducted in the Institute would provide necessary edifice for a viable and profitable 'aroma industry' in the Valley and other parts of the State creating greater employment opportunities for the youth.
Underscoring utilization of research in the practical field deriving best results out of it, Omar Abdullah stressed the need for shrinking the gap between lab and land. "While theoretical aspects and research pursuits are imperative to make considerable and sustained headway in the development of science and technology, its use to derive economic goals is of similar importance", he added.
The Chief Minister said that leather industry also offers promising future in the State as there is great availability of raw material in the Valley in the shape of sheep skin. "The State is land of animal and sheep rearing. This sector can be further developed to thrive leather industry", he said adding that the Valley presently imports large number of sheep from other parts of the country and sheep skins are abundantly available for manufacture of leather goods. He asked youth to venture upon in this field and seek economic betterment for themselves and the State.
Omar appreciated the IIIM initiative for training youth in leather goods manufacturing and said that the Leather Training-Cum-Manufacturing Unit of IIIM could help in a big way to establish this industry here on strong edifice.
The Chief Minister said that during his visit to IIIM, Jammu he was informed by the Director that the Institute intends to install a Nuclear Magnetic Research Spectrometer (NMR) in the Institute at Srinagar, and sought my help for its transportation. He said he would take up the issue at the appropriate forum in the Centre and facilitate its installation in Srinagar. The NMR costs Rs. 2.50 crore and is a modern machine to conduct chemical structuring of molecules.
Omar inspected various units in the Institute, interacted with research scholars, scientists and other faculty members. At the Natural Product Chemistry Lab, the Chief Minister was briefed about its working and research programme by the Director IIIM, Dr. Ram Vishwakarma in a PowerPoint presentation. The Director gave details of the research and preservation of gene pool of medicinal plants in the lab.
Chief Scientist IIIM, R. K. Raina presented resume of the functioning of various units of IIIM and the research programmes being conducted there.
The Chief Minister also visited Leather Training-Cum-Manufacturing Centre in the Institute and interacted with trainees there. He asked the Institute to explore possibilities with EDI for providing help to the trainees for launch of ventures under SKEWPY.
Omar has constituted the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Chief Minister (SAC-CM) for the holistic and balanced development of growth of science and technology in the State utilizing State's potential and talent. The Chairman of the Committee is the renowned scientist and former Director General ICAR Prof. V. L. Chopra while Dr. T. Ramaswami, Union Secretary for Science and Technology is its Co-Chairman and the Director IIIM, Dr. Ram Vishwakarma Member-Secretary.
During his visit to IIIM, Jammu last month the Chief Minister chaired the 1st meeting of the SAC-CM where he was presented a vision document for harnessing bio-diversity and bio-technology for progress of Jammu and Kashmir.
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