Department of Science & Technology and Climate Change, Govt. of Assam and NESAC has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote the space technology applications by various user departments in the state of Assam. The MoU was signed at Guwahati on the 1st day of 2022 in presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and Climate Change, Govt. of Assam Shri Keshab Mahanta. Shri Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Science & Technology and Climate Change, Govt. of Assam and Dr. S.P. Aggarwal, Director, NESAC signed the MoU on behalf of Govt. of Assam and NESAC respectively. Smt. Kimnei Changsan, Director, Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC), Assam and Shri P.L.N. Raju, Director, Assam State Space Application Centre (ASSAC) signed the MoU as witnesses representing Govt. of Assam, while Dr. K.K. Sarma, Scientist-SG and Dr. Bijoy K. Handique, Scientist-SF signed the MoU as witnesses representing NESAC.
Department of S&T and Climate Change, Govt. of Assam as the nodal department from Government of Assam will coordinate with all relevant departments, institutions, agencies and organisations in the state of Assam to assess the requirement of space technology support for development planning. The nodal department will also support different user departments to formulate and propose projects requiring inputs with space science and technology and forward these to NESAC for suitable assessment and execution. NESAC will support the space applications in three broad areas i.e. Remote Sensing and GIS, Satellite Communication and Space and Atmospheric Science. The MoU will also facilitate training and capacity building of large numbers of students, researchers and government officials in various aspects of space technology applications.