Introduction

The Department of Science and Technology, Government of West Bengal (DST, GoWB) plays a very crucial role in Science and Technology (S & T) Awareness, Science Popularization and Communication, Science Camp, IPR, Research and Development, Infrastructure support to School and Colleges, Lab to Land programme, skill and entrepreneurship development, integrated development of rural areas providing S & T inputs through an efficient district level networking system. Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing cell of this Department is engaged in generation of various thematic maps for developmental planning and are being used by various line departments of the state. It is also engaged in human resource development through various courses on Remote Sensing and GIS.

West Bengal State Science & Technology Congress (WBSSTC)

One of the major activities/events of DST, GoWB is organisation of West Bengal State Science & Technology Congress (WBSSTC), in order to provide a forum for interaction and deliberation, review of the present status of R&D efforts and also to popularize science in local vernacular. As such it conducts annual congress on Science and Technology since 1994 as a part of National Science Day Celebration and where research papers in different disciplines viz. Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, Astronomy, Technology Earth Science, Life Science, Environmental Science, Social Science, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Medicine etc. are invited from all concerned to be read and published in Vernacular language. The basic aim of this programme is to encourage more scientific research in vernacular and percolate scientific thoughts through vernacular in all sections of our society. The prime objective is the continued advancement and improvement of technology for socio-economic growth.This Science Congress is a part of National Science Day Celebration where apart from researchers, students of schools and colleges also participate in a large scale.

The 24th West Bengal State Science & Technology Congress is scheduled to be held at the Science City Kolkata during 28th February and 1st March, 2017 but this year Science & Technology Congress would be organized along with three satellite Regional State Science & Technology Congress in three different divisions of the State in the month of November 2016.