To provide a major boost to rural innovation sector for problems specific to mountainous region, two-day 3rd Himachal Pradesh Science Congress will be organised on 22 October at North Campus, Indian Information and Technology (IIT), Mandi.

The event is being jointly organised by Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology, and Environment (HIMCOSTE) and IIT, Mandi on the theme “Rural Upliftment through Science and Technology Interventions”.

HIMCOSTE, Shimla, Member Secretary, Kunal Satyarthi said here on Friday, that the main objectives of this year’s Congress are identification of critical problems faced by people in rural hilly areas and exploring potential solutions based on the problems identified.

This event would provide a platform to all those working on rural innovations and to discuss recent progress and future trends in technologies, products relevant for rural transformation, he said.

About 500 participants comprising of scientists from Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, eminent scientists and researchers from about 99 reputed academic and research institutes and Universities in Himachal Pradesh, as well as neighbouring North Indian States, would converge at IIT Mandi during the two day long deliberations, he added.

He informed that this Congress would feature popular lectures on contemporary issues by scientists and oral and poster presentations by researchers of various organizations, he said, adding that for showcasing technologies, products and designs developed by innovators from various Universities and NGOs, an exhibition of various rural technologies would be put up as Science Fair.

Another highlight of the Congress would be an “Industry Panel Discussion” to deliberate on the delivery of Science and Technology to rural public and detailed discussions on the theme of this Congress, he added.

Scientific sessions on seven thematic areas would be held for which experts and judges have been called from the premier scientific organisations and Research and Development Institutes in the Country, he informed.

Best oral and poster presentations in each session would also be awarded, he added.