<p>Four years after the state government announced the International Science Centre near Chikkaballapur, the project has finally got the push with the revenue department allocating 132 acres of land for it.</p>.<p>The science centre, which will come up at Hosur, Gauribidanur taluk, will be dedicated to scientist H Narasimhaiah. It was first announced by the H D Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-Congress government in 2018. </p>.<p>The science centre, for which organisations such as the ISRO, DRDO and IISc will be roped in, will be an experimental centre where students and the public at large can gain hands-on experience of various science concepts.</p>.<p>“The larger idea is also to make science and technology accessible to rural areas. Students from rural areas can make use of this experimental centre,” IT/BT, Science & Technology Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said. </p>.<p>“There will be global volunteers and mentors who will conduct workshops for children. Globally-reputed professors will be called for lectures. It will be a comprehensive experimental science centre which will be useful to students and the public,” the minister added. </p>.<p>The centre will also have a research wing to encourage academic research. Sources in the department told <span class="italic">DH</span> that the science centre will cover a range of subjects extending its scope to music, arts, literature, agriculture, history and archaeology. As many as eight enclaves will be built, which will include a walk through history enclave, bio park, space enclave, rural technology, defence, aeronautics and energy enclaves. </p>.<p>The estimated cost of the project is about Rs 2,443 crore and the funding will be done under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Some of Narasimhaiah’s students are also expected to pitch in. To begin with, the state government has granted Rs 10 crore this year. </p>.<p>Officials in the department said the project is likely to take off in a month or two. According to a revenue department order, the government is mandated to make use of the land within two years from the grant. </p>
<p>Four years after the state government announced the International Science Centre near Chikkaballapur, the project has finally got the push with the revenue department allocating 132 acres of land for it.</p>.<p>The science centre, which will come up at Hosur, Gauribidanur taluk, will be dedicated to scientist H Narasimhaiah. It was first announced by the H D Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-Congress government in 2018. </p>.<p>The science centre, for which organisations such as the ISRO, DRDO and IISc will be roped in, will be an experimental centre where students and the public at large can gain hands-on experience of various science concepts.</p>.<p>“The larger idea is also to make science and technology accessible to rural areas. Students from rural areas can make use of this experimental centre,” IT/BT, Science & Technology Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said. </p>.<p>“There will be global volunteers and mentors who will conduct workshops for children. Globally-reputed professors will be called for lectures. It will be a comprehensive experimental science centre which will be useful to students and the public,” the minister added. </p>.<p>The centre will also have a research wing to encourage academic research. Sources in the department told <span class="italic">DH</span> that the science centre will cover a range of subjects extending its scope to music, arts, literature, agriculture, history and archaeology. As many as eight enclaves will be built, which will include a walk through history enclave, bio park, space enclave, rural technology, defence, aeronautics and energy enclaves. </p>.<p>The estimated cost of the project is about Rs 2,443 crore and the funding will be done under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Some of Narasimhaiah’s students are also expected to pitch in. To begin with, the state government has granted Rs 10 crore this year. </p>.<p>Officials in the department said the project is likely to take off in a month or two. According to a revenue department order, the government is mandated to make use of the land within two years from the grant. </p>