Dehradun, July 14 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday said Uttarakhand could emerge as an ideal model of development for the country by developing scientific and locally driven solutions to its unique geographical challenges, while announcing the allocation of land for a startup centre at the Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) campus. Dhami said this after inspecting the ongoing construction of the Dehradun Science City project and participating in a symposium on the state's Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP). The chief minister said the Science City project was progressing rapidly and would, in the coming years, evolve into a premier centre for science, innovation and research for students, researchers and scientists from across the country. "Science City will provide state-of-the-art facilities to young innovators and researchers, helping transform their ideas into reality. Through initiatives such as the community science radio station 'Vigyan Vani' (88.8 MHz), 'Vigyan Drishyam' and 'Vigyan Dhara' under the 'Vigyan Setu' initiative, scientific knowledge will reach even the remotest parts of Uttarakhand," he said. Referring to the state's ongoing Harela Week celebrations, Dhami said the festival symbolises environmental conservation and harmony between development and nature at a time when the world is grappling with climate change and global warming. Highlighting rapid technological advancements, he said artificial intelligence, robotics, drone technology, semiconductors, biotechnology and data science were reshaping the future, and Uttarakhand must not only adopt these technologies but also emerge as a leader in innovation. "Uttarakhand could emerge as an ideal model of development for the country by developing scientific and locally driven solutions to its geographical challenges", he said. The chief minister said several states were now looking at Uttarakhand's governance initiatives as examples of best practices, citing the successful rescue of workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel, which was showcased during the BRICS Summit. He added that the state government had decided to observe November 28 every year as Disaster Management Day. Dhami said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed India by 2047 places science, technology and research at the centre of national progress. He noted that India now has the world's third-largest startup ecosystem and is moving towards self-reliance in semiconductor manufacturing through the Semiconductor Mission. He said Uttarakhand had already implemented its first Science, Technology and Innovation Policy to build a self-reliant innovation ecosystem where young people become job creators instead of job seekers. The chief minister said the state's difficult terrain presents several developmental challenges, but its Himalayan ecosystem, biodiversity, medicinal plants, perennial water sources, organic farming and cultural heritage are its greatest strengths....