Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said the dream of New India could only be visualised with new ideas and it would be a scientific and technological India.
Delivering the inaugural address at the Ninth Indian Youth Science Congress, organized by Career Point University, Hamirpur at the NIT here, he said forums like these would enable the young minds to share knowledge, information and draw inspiration to come up with new ideas that would power India of the future.
He said the students should be encouraged to “discover” rather than be “told” the answer.
Stressing that science should be an integral component of the curriculum, he said that the scientific approach that relies on evidence and raising relevant questions and seeking answers should be internalised.
He said the conference would usher in greater progress and development by fostering scientific temper among the youth.
Naidu appreciated the efforts of Himachal Pradesh government in the field of environment conservation and increasing green cover.
Governor Acharya Devvrat said India was land of knowledge, and the need of the hour was to develop scientific approach by upholding the Indian traditional knowledge.
He said scientific approach without humanitarian thought and humane touch was irrelevant. The global warming was an area of concern.
Devvrat said the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in farming was resulting not only in making land barren but was also badly affecting the human health.
He said natural farming was the solution for this and scientists should come forward to promote it, which would not only increase soil fertility but also help in reducing the burden on health institutions.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said climate change was serious challenge and the scientists should come forward to tackle this problem.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call to the people of the country to work collectively for making a New India, and for this, urged encouragement of innovation, startup and skill development amongst the youth.
Thakur said the state was laying special emphasis on skill development of the youth in order to make them not only job-seekers but job-providers.
He said the state was also focusing on startup and innovative projects.
In his address, Union Health Minister J.P Nadda expressed concern over increasing cases of anaemia, particularly amongst the younger generation.
He urged the scientists to come forward to redress this problem at the earliest.
Noted scientist M.S. Swaminathan, in his keynote address through video conference, said the young scientists should collectively work towards meeting the challenges posed by climate change.