APPENDIX `Q' MEMORANDUM ON ITEM 19 : SCHEME OF VIJNAN MANDIRS
We have at present 50 Vijnan Mandirs. Particulars of the places in which these are located are given in Annexure XXV.
The Vijnan Mandirs were set up with a view to stimulating in- terest in science amongst people in rural areas and also to help them to an intelligent appreciation of the scientific principles underlying problems of vital interest affecting their daily life. Obviously if the Vijnan Mandirs have to fulfil the object for which they are intended, there should be a large number of Vijnan Mandirs in the country.
With this in view, it was planned that by the end of the Third Five Year Plan period, there should be 320 Vijnan Mandirs so that there is at least one Vijnan Mandir in each District. Unfortunately, however, there are no, signs of even this target being achieved. There were 38 Vijnan Mandirs at the end of the Second Five Year Plan period and thereafter upto the end of 1962-63 only 11 additional Vij- nan Mandirs were set up.
One of the reasons for the slow progress in the setting up of larger number of Vijnan Mandirs is that suitable accommodation and other facilities, which were to be provided by the State Govts., did not become available. A Committee appointed by the Government. (Balwantrai Mehta Committee) to go into the question of Vijnan Mandirs in detail expressed a view that it would improve matters if the Vijnan Mandirs; were placed under the administrative control of the State Governments. In pursuance of this recommendation, the administrative control of Vijnan Mandirs was accoordingly transferred to the State Governments in the beginning of 1963-64, in consultation with Chief Ministers.
It was hoped that with the transfer of administrative control of Vijnan Mandirs to the State Governments, a larger number of Vijnan Mandirs would be set up more rapidly and they will also, fulfill the objects for which they are intended to a fuller extent. Unfortunately not much progress has been made in regard to the establishment of more Vijnan Mandirs. So far as we are aware, only one Vijnan Mandir in Mysore State has been set up since the administrative control of Vijnan Mandirs was transferred to the State Governments.
In transferring the administrative control of Vijnan Mandirs to, the State Governments, we agreed to continue to meet the entire expenditure in respect of the then existing Vijnan Mandirs and also offered to meet the entire recurring and 75% of the non-recurring expenditure in respect of any new Vijnan Mandirs which might be
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set up by the State Governments during the Third Plan period. Even this has not weighed with the State Governments for as stated above, no proposals have so far been received. for the setting up of new Vijnan Mandirs except the one in Mysore State, and one in Orissa.
The sanctioned staff of each Vijnan Mandir includes one Vijnan Mandir Officer and one Assistant Vijnan. Officer both of whom are scientists. The Vijnan Mandirs were equipped for undertaking simple analysis of soil, water, food, etc. and facilities existed in the Vij- nan Mandirs for identification of common pests and insects, and for imparting of education on sanitation, and public health. In some Vijnan Mandirs, facilities were also available for pathological exa- mination of common human diseases and deficiencies. A reading room with literature on popular scientific topics and a science museum containing specimens of local flora and fauna and rocks and minerals available in the neighbourhood and rural science clubs were also attached to each Vijnan Mandir. We are not aware whether and, if so, to what extent there has been any improvement in the functioning of the Vijnan Mandirs since their administrative control was transferred to the State Governments.
The fact that there has been little increase in the number of Vijnan Mandirs since the administrative control was transferred to the State Governments, inspite of the financial burden which the Central Government agreed to, bear, shows that the scheme of Vijnan Mandirs has not received due attention. Vijnan Mandirs can play an important role in making the country scientific minded and we have to give adequate thought as to how best advantage can be taken of these institutions for fulfilling the objective.
The Board is therefore requested to go into the question and let us have the benefit of their advice in the matter generally and parti- cularly on the following points :
(1) steps Which should be taken to ensure that larger number of Vijnan Mandirs are set up as rapidly as possible to achieve the planned target of 320 Vijnan Mandirs by the end of the Third Five Year Plan.
(2) what steps should be taken to ensure that the Vijnan Mandirs fulfil in a better manner the objective for which these are intended.
(3) whether the Vijnan Mandirs can be fitted in into the scheme of science education, specially with regard to the teaching of science in rural areas, with a view to interesting not only the students but also, the whole rural population in the areas in the meaning and significance of science.
ANNEXURE XXV
List of Vijnan Mandirs
ANDHRA PRADESH . . . . . . 1. Amadalavalasa, Distt. Srikakulam
2. Kapileswarapuram, Dist. East Godavari
3. Vicarabad, Distt. Hyderabad
4. Kodur, District. Cuddapah
ASSAM . . . . . . . 1. Dimoria, Distt. Kamrup
2. Hailakandi, Distt. Cachar
BIHAR . . . . . . . 1. Haveli-Kharagpur, Disttt. Monghyr
2. Ormanjhi, District Ranchi
3. Vaishali, District Muzaffarpur
4. Pusa, Distt. Darbhanga
DELHI . . . . . . . 1. Najafgarh, Delhi
GUJARAT . . . . . . . 1. Shapur, District Junagadh
2. Valod, District Surat
HIMACHAL PRADESH . . . . . 1. Sundernagar (Sundernagar-2) Bhojpur,
Distt. Mandi
JAMMU AND KASHMIR . . . . . 1. Ranbirsingh Pura, District Jammu
KERALA . . . . . . . 1. Chengannur, Distt. Alleppey
2. Ramavarmapuram Pudur, Distt. Palghat
3. Tirur, Distt. Kozhikode
MADHYA PRADESH . . . . . . 1. Nowgong, District Chattarpur
2. Ramavarmapuram Pudur, Distt. Palghat
3. Tirur, Distt. Kozhikode
MADRAS . . . . . . . 1. Ariyagoundampatti, Distt. Salem
2. Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya,
Distt. Coimbatore
3. S.V. Nagram, Distt. North Arcot
4. T. Kallupatti, Distt. Madurai
5. Korukathi, Distt. Thanjavour
6. Valavanur, Distt. South Arcot
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MAHARASHTRA . . . . . . 1. Amravati (Shivajinagar), Distt. Amravati
MYSORE . . . . . . 1. Devarayasamudram, Distt. Kolar
2. Mayasandra, Distt. Tumkur
3. Moodbidri, Distt. South Kanara
4. Konanur, Distt. Hassan
5. Shiralkoppa, Distt. Shimoga
6. Ilkal, Distt. Bijapur
ORISSA . . . . . . . 1. Angul, Distt. Dhenkanal
2. Bhadrak, Distt. Balasore
3. Hinjlicut Distt. Ganjam.
PUNJAB . . . . . . . 1. Nilokheri, Distt. Karnal
RAJASTHAN . . . . . . . 1. Dabok, Distt. Udaipur
2. Pisangan, Distt. Ajmer
3. Sardarshahr, Distt. Churu
4. Sumerpur, Distt. Pali
UTTAR PRADESH . . . . . . 1. Masauli, Distt. Barabanki
2. Bachhrawan, Distt. Rae Bareilly,
3. Ratsand, Distt. Balia
4. Pitaura, Distt. Farukhabad
WEST BENGAL . . . . . . 1. Barsul, Distt. Burdwan
2. Ergoda Dist. Midnaporet
3. Itachuna, Distt. Hooghly
4. Haroa, Distt. 24-Parganas
5. Jhilimili, Distt. Bankura