Shillong June 14: Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, inaugurated the Digital Planetarium/Space Education Centre and Innovation Hub at Shillong Science Centre on Friday.

The Shillong Science Centre is located at NEHU Mawlai.

Speaking to school students, the Chief Minister congratulated the Shillong Science Centre and NEHU and said that the centre will be a place where young minds will be ignited.

He said that innovation drives the economy and ensures that services and products are delivered efficiently.

He informed that Meghalaya Start up Policy 2018 recently approved by the cabinet provides a push and creates a platform and ecosystems for innovations to thrive.

“It is only through innovations that entrepreneurs and industrial sectors grow which leads to growth of the economy. Realizing the importance of innovation and the lack of the State in this regard, we need innovative minds that will produce great entrepreneurs and industrialists,“ he said.

Stating that the culture of Science must be instilled in the students, he said that schools also need to create Science Clubs and hold periodic innovative, Maths and Business Plans competitions in the institutions.

He urged students to take full advantage of the Shillong Science Centre and forever remain curious, creative and innovative.

Earlier, Director National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata, A D Choudhury, informed that it is the mandate of NCSM to create Science museums and innovative hubs, and the centre in Shillong is the 34th centre that has been created.

He also informed that the NCSM would create one such centre at Tura and also the Science City at Guwahati that would cater to the whole North Eastern Region.

The Chief Minister distributed prizes to the winners of various competitions.

Among others present during the inauguration were Pro Vice Chancellor NEHU, Prof Henry Lamin and Project Director, Shillong Science Centre, C V D Diengdoh and other dignitaries.