Varanasi : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said science is meant for public welfare and nations that adopted scientific temper and innovation had progressed.
Addressing the 7th National Convention of Vigyan Bharati at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), which he inaugurated, Adityanath said India's real strength lies in its agriculture and MSME sectors.
"Science means public welfare. The countries which adopted science have progressed," he said.
The chief minister urged farmers to adopt organic and zero-budget natural farming and cautioned them against the harmful effects of excessive use of chemicals in agriculture.
He said agriculture was never a loss-making occupation when farmers innovate and follow traditional practices.
Highlighting the role of traders and entrepreneurs, Adityanath said the MSME sector, with around 96 lakh units, provides employment to nearly three crore people and acts as a key link in the economy.
He also stressed the importance of Indian scientists and research, saying knowledge should be welcomed from all sources.
"Knowledge should be welcomed from wherever it comes," he said.
Later, the chief minister inspected the under-construction National Centre for Ageing at BHU, being built at a cost of around Rs 150 crore.
He directed officials to complete the seven-storey, 200-bed facility on time while maintaining quality standards.
The centre will be the third such facility in the country and a major centre in North India for treatment and research related to elderly healthcare.
The facility will have modern services including a memory clinic, arthritis clinic, geriatric OPD, ICU, modular operation theatres and rehabilitation services.
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.