Jitendra Singh lays foundation of NECTAR's permanent campus in Shillong, says Northeast will be India's next saffron hub
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of the permanent campus of NECTAR in New Shillong, Meghalaya, on 13 March 2025, and said Mission Saffron is making the Northeast India's next saffron hub after Pampore.
Summary
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of the permanent campus of the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) in New Shillong, Meghalaya, on 13 March 2025. NECTAR is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, set up in 2014. He said Mission Saffron has, since 2021, expanded saffron cultivation to Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, with large-scale cultivation in Menchukha (Arunachal Pradesh) and Yuksom (Sikkim) and plans for Nagaland and Manipur â making the Northeast India's next saffron hub after Pampore in Jammu and Kashmir. NECTAR also works on drone mapping under SVAMITVA and on bamboo and honey.
Key facts
- Event
- Foundation stone of NECTAR permanent campus, New Shillong, 13 March 2025
- NECTAR
- Autonomous body under DST, set up 2014
- Mission Saffron
- Since 2021: Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya
- Large-scale sites
- Menchukha (Arunachal), Yuksom (Sikkim)
- Next
- Nagaland and Manipur
- Traditional hub
- Pampore, Jammu and Kashmir
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Where is the permanent campus of NECTAR, whose foundation stone was laid on 13 March 2025, coming up?
Show answer
Correct answer: A â New Shillong
Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of NECTAR's permanent campus in New Shillong, Meghalaya.
Under Mission Saffron, large-scale saffron cultivation is underway at Menchukha and Yuksom. These are in which states respectively?
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Correct answer: B â Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim
Menchukha is in Arunachal Pradesh and Yuksom in Sikkim, as per the Science and Technology Ministry.
Consider the following statements about NECTAR: 1. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). 2. It was established in 2014. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B â 2 only
Statement 1 is wrong: NECTAR is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology. Statement 2 is correct.