Stefan Graf, Consul General, Federal Republic of Germany said that Germany has set itself a goal of earmarking upto 3 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for science and research by 2010. He was speaking at a function to inaugurate the `Science Express' at Cantonment railway station here on Thursday.

At present Germany spends 2 percent on the field, but has adopted a new strategy since February 2008 for the internationalisation of its science and research programme according to Graf.

"We are tracking the latest development in science and assessing where we stand,” he said.

 Mahesh Mangal Divisional Railway Manager, South Western Railway, said that the train has been custom-built at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala.

"The innovations highlighted in different branches of science in the train provide excellent exposure to young students on emerging technologies."

Andreas Klauke, project manager, Science Express said more than a million had visited the train and another million people were expected before the train concludes its epic journey.

H S Niranjana Aradhya, President, Karnataka Rajya Vijnana Parishat and P M Balakrishnan, resident chief executive of BASF India also took part.