Mangalore: S.R Patil, Minister for IT, BT and Science and Technology said that the state’s much awaited second regional science centre will be opened at Pilikula Nisargadhama next month.

Speaking to the reporters, he told that the centre has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 11.50 crore with funds from both the union and state governments.

Spread over 10 acres of land and built by National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata, it would organize a series of programs to infuse scientific temper among people. It has been named as Mangalore Pilikula Regional Science centre.

The first regional science centre of the state was opened in Dharwad in 2012. It was built at an estimated cost of Rs 10.50 crore. The third regional science centre would come up in Mysore at an estimated cost of Rs 14.50 crore, he said.

He also said that the centre will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Sripad Yesso Naik.

The minister also said that the state government would set up sub-regional science centers in all districts at an estimated cost of Rs 3.50 crore.

J.R. Lobo, MLA, Mangalore South said that the centre would provide platform for students, teachers and the general public to organize events and activities.

Intending to popularize science, the centre has a virtual laboratory, a library, a computer room, a conference hall, a meeting hall, an exhibition hall, a fun science section, and sports and games facilities.

3D planetarium

The Minister said that work on 3D planetarium is in progress and is likely to be completed in a year. The work is taken up at a cost of Rs 24.50 crore and the government has already released Rs 11 crore. The planetarium has been named after Swami Vivekananda, he said.