Bhubaneswar: The state cupboard on Saturday accepted the ‘State Council on Science and Technology’ scheme to popularise science and know-how, notably amongst college students, and to foster a scientific angle and temperament by way of numerous academic programmes, exhibitions and competitions.“The scheme will be implemented for five years, starting from 2025-26 till 2029-30, at an estimated cost of Rs 254.85 crore,” mentioned chief secretary Anu Garg after the cupboard assembly.She mentioned the science and know-how division has arrange the Odisha State Council on Science and Technology to implement numerous schemes and programmes of the division. “Now the govt has brought the council and other works into a single scheme,” she added.The council is a key organisation to promote scientific and technological growth. It works to combine science, know-how and innovation for socio-economic progress. It seeks to improve the standard and relevance of analysis and growth inside the state by connecting academia, analysis establishments and industries.The council works to construct a talented workforce by supporting numerous academic and coaching programmes in fields of fundamental and utilized sciences.The introduced initiative is an umbrella scheme comprising 14 sub-schemes/programmes.The goals are to encourage meritorious college students to pursue greater research and analysis in science, assist universities and analysis establishments for analysis and growth, and promote scientific collaboration, innovation, and consciousness on mental property rights (IPR).The scheme will popularise science amongst college students and public by selling rational considering and scientific mood by way of the district science centre and planetarium. It will develop a robust innovation ecosystem by establishing innovation hubs, making ready an innovation roadmap, and supporting younger and grassroots innovators.