Lok Sabha Question No. 5268 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-05
Subject: Science Express
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL

- (a) Yes Madam.
- (b) Science  Express  is  an  innovative  mobile  science  exhibition  mounted  on  a  16  coach  AC  train,  which  was custom-built for Department of Science and Technology (DST) by Indian Railway. Since its launch in 2007, Science Express has travelled across the country in 8 phases, each of 6-7 months duration, and received 1.56 crore visitors at 455 halts, usually of 2-4 days duration, in its 1602 exhibition days. The focus of initial 4 phases of Science Express was cutting-edge  research  in  science  and  it  was  run  in  association  with  Max  Planck  Society,  Germany  and  German Government.  In 2011, DST entered into collaboration with the then Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and converted the theme to Biodiversity in line with the organization of United Nations Conference of Parties (COP-11) that was held in Hyderabad in October 2011. After 3 successful runs of Science Express- Biodiversity Special, 'Science Express' was redesigned on the theme 'Climate Change' and the resultant-  'Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS)- was launched on 15 October 2015. It is a collaborative initiative of DST, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), and Department of Biotechnology (DBT). The first phase of SECAS (and eighth successive run of Science Express) got concluded 7 May 2016 after halting at 64 locations in 20 States,  covering  19,800  kms.  In  204  exhibition  days,  it  was  visited  by  23.24  lakhs  people,  primarily  student  and teachers. Buoyed by the overwhelming response, all the partner agencies decided to run the second phase of SECAS, which is actually the 9 th  edition Science Express. SECAS was thus re-launched from Delhi Safdarjung on 17 February 2017 and it is scheduled to travel across India till 8 September 2017. It will halt at 68 Railway Stations and cover19000 kms. In this ongoing phase, SECAS has already covered 15 locations till 31 March 2017 and over 3 lakh people have visited it. Of the 16 coaches of SECAS, exhibition in 8 coaches, is exclusively devoted to information, case studies and material related to various aspect of Climate change, the underlying science, impacts, adaptation activities, mitigation solutions and policy approaches in a manner that is easy to understand and interesting for not just school students but also the masses.

The details of Railway Stations covered by SECAS in its first phase in various States along with the schedule of exhibition days are as follows:

| Sr. No.   | Station                   | State     | Exhibition Dates   |
|-----------|---------------------------|-----------|--------------------|
| (1)       | (2)                       |           | (4)                |
| 1.        | Delhi Safdarjung          | Delhi     | 15 -17 Oct 2015    |
| 2.        | Sawai Madhopur            | Rajasthan | 18 Oct 2015        |
| 3.        | Ranapratapnagar (Udaipur) | Rajasthan | 19 -23 Oct 2015    |

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5268 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5/4/2017

## SCIENCE EXPRESS

5268. DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK: DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT: SHRI SATAV RAJEEV: SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó Ùðüëðó be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has introduced Science Express-climate action special;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the stations covered in each State and total length in kms. it has covered since its launch;
- (c) the objectives set/achieved in this regard; and
- (d) the steps being taken by the Government to introduce more science expresses in future?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

(SHRI.Y. S. CHOWDARY)

òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó +ÉÉè® ÑðöÆãðó òãðìððÐð ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó

(gÉÉÒ ´ÉÉ<Ç. AºÉ. SÉÉèvÉ®ÉÒ)

|   (1) | (2)                       | (2)              | (4)                         |
|-------|---------------------------|------------------|-----------------------------|
|     4 | Bhagat ki Kothi (Jodhpur) | Rajasthan        | 24 - 25 Oct 2015            |
|     5 | Jaisalmer                 | Rajasthan        | 26 - 29 Oct 2015            |
|     6 | Suratgarh                 | Rajasthan        | 30 Oct - 01 Nov 2015        |
|     7 | Patiala                   | Punjab           | 02 - 04 Nov 2015            |
|     8 | Ambala Cantt              | Haryana          | 05 - 08 Nov 2015            |
|     9 | Amb Andaura               | Himachal Pradesh | 09 - 10 Nov 2015            |
|    10 | Churaru Takarla           | Himachal Pradesh | 12 - 13 Nov 2015            |
|    11 | Hoshiarpur                | Punjab           | 14 - 16 Nov 2015            |
|    12 | Udhampur                  | Jammu &Kashmir   | 17 - 20 Nov 2015            |
|    13 | Samba                     | Jammu &Kashmir   | 21 - 23 Nov 2015            |
|    14 | Pathankot                 | Punjab           | 24 - 27 Nov 2015            |
|    15 | Saharanpur                | UttarPradesh     | 28 - 29 Nov 2015            |
|    16 | Haridwar                  | Uttrakhand       | 30 Nov - 02 Dec 2015        |
|    17 | Lalkuan                   | Uttrakhand       | 03 - 05 Dec 2015            |
|    18 | Pragati Maidan            | Delhi            | 06 - 08 Dec 2015            |
|    19 | Anajmandi (Rewari)        | Haryana          | 09 - 11 Dec 2015            |
|    20 | Agra Cannt                | UttarPradesh     | 12 - 14 Dec 2015            |
|    21 | Shivpuri                  | Madhya Pradesh   | 15 - 17 Dec 2015            |
|    22 | Khajuraho                 | Madhya Pradesh   | 18 - 20 Dec 2015            |
|    23 | Allahabad                 | UttarPradesh     | 21 - 24 Dec 2015            |
|    24 | Basti                     | UttarPradesh     | 26 - 28 Dec 2015            |
|    25 | New Jalpaiguri            | West Bengal      | 30 - 31 Dec 2015            |
|    26 | New Bongaigaon            | Assam            | 01 - 02 Jan 2016            |
|    27 | Mariani                   | Assam            | 04 - 05 Jan 2016            |
|    28 | New Tinsukia              | Assam            | 06 - 07 Jan 2016            |
|    29 | Lumding                   | Assam            | 08 - 09 Jan 2016            |
|    30 | Alipurduar                | West Bengal      | 11 - 12 Jan 2016            |
|    31 | Ambikakalna               | West Bengal      | 14 - 17 Jan 2016            |
|    32 | Barraackpore              | West Bengal      | 18 - 21 Jan 2016            |
|    33 | Jhargram                  | West Bengal      | 22 - 24 Jan 2016            |
|    34 | Digha F S                 | West Bengal      | 25 &27 Jan 2016             |
|    35 | Jharsuguda                | Odisha           | 29 - 30 Jan 2016            |
|    36 | Bilaspur                  | Chhattisgarh     | 31 Jan - 02 Feb 2016        |
|    37 | Kumhari                   | Chhattisgarh     | 03 - 06 Feb 2016            |
|    38 | Koraput                   | Odisha           | 08 - 10 Feb 2016            |
|    39 | Vishakhapatnam            | Andhra Pradesh   | 11 - 13 Feb 2016            |
|    40 | Rajahmundry               | Andhra Pradesh   | 14 - 16 Feb 2016            |
|    41 | Guntur                    | Andhra Pradesh   | 17 - 19 Feb 2016            |
|    42 | Secunderabad              | Telangana        | 20 - 23 Feb 2016            |
|    43 | Adoni                     | Andhra Pradesh   | 24 - 26 Feb 2016            |
|    44 | Kadiri                    | Andhra Pradesh   | 27 - 29 Feb 2016            |
|    45 | Vellore                   | Tamil Nadu       | 01 - 03 Mar 2016            |
|    46 | Kumbakonam                | Tamil Nadu       | 04 - 06 Mar 2016            |
|    47 | Pudukkotai                | Tamil Nadu       | 07 - 09 Mar 2016            |
|    48 | Rameswaram                | Tamil Nadu       | 10 - 12 Mar 2016            |
|    49 | Tirunelveli               | Tamil Nadu       | 13 - 16 Mar 2016            |
|    50 | Changanaseri Palakkad     | Kerala           | 17 - 20 Mar 2016 22 &24 Mar |
|    51 |                           | Kerala           | 2016                        |

|   (1) | (2)                 | (3)         | (4)                  |
|-------|---------------------|-------------|----------------------|
|    52 | Mangalore Jn        | Karnataka   | 25 - 28 Mar 2016     |
|    53 | Ashokapuram         | Karnataka   | 30 Mar - 02 Apr 2016 |
|    54 | Hospet              | Karnataka   | 04 - 05 Apr 2016     |
|    55 | Wadi                | Karnataka   | 06 - 08 Apr 2016     |
|    56 | Nizamabad           | Telangana   | 09 - 11 Apr 2016     |
|    57 | Butibori            | Maharashtra | 13 - 15 Apr 2016     |
|    58 | Jalamb              | Maharashtra | 16 - 18 Apr 2016     |
|    59 | Valsad              | Gujarat     | 20 - 22 Apr 2016     |
|    60 | Anand               | Gujarat     | 23 - 25 Apr 2016     |
|    61 | Patan               | Gujarat     | 26 - 28 Apr 2016     |
|    62 | Hapa                | Gujarat     | 29 Apr - 01 May 2016 |
|    63 | Junagarh            | Gujarat     | 02 - 04 May 2016     |
|    64 | Gandhinagar Capital | Gujarat     | 05 - 07 May 2016     |

The details of Railway Stations covered by SECAS in second phase in various States along with the schedule of exhibition days are as follows:

| Sr. No.   | Station                     | State      | Exhibition Dates   |
|-----------|-----------------------------|------------|--------------------|
| (1)       | (2)                         | (3)        | (4)                |
| 1.        | Delhi Safdarjung (Flag off) | Delhi      | 17 Feb 2017        |
| 2.        | Delhi Cantt                 | Delhi      | 18 - 19 Feb 2017   |
| 3.        | Hisar                       | Harayana   | 20 - 23 Feb 2017   |
| 4.        | Dhuri                       | Punjab     | 24 - 26 Feb 2017   |
| 5.        | Taran Taran                 | Punjab     | 27 - 28 Feb 2017   |
| 6.        | Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra | J&K        | 1 - 2 Mar 2017     |
| 7.        | Udhampur                    | J&K        | 3 - 4 Mar 2017     |
| 8.        | Nangal Dam                  | Punjab     | 6 - 7 Mar 2017     |
| 9.        | Sirhind                     | Punjab     | 8 - 10 Mar 2017    |
| 10.       | Chandigarh                  | Chandigarh | 12 &14 Mar 2017    |
| 11.       | Rampur                      | UP         | 15 - 17 Mar 2017   |
| 12.       | Kasganj City                | UP         | 18 - 20 Mar 2017   |
| 13.       | Khalilabad                  | UP         | 22 - 25 Mar 2017   |
| 14.       | Mau                         | UP         | 26 - 29 Mar 2017   |
| 15        | Gaya                        | Bihar      | 30 - 31 Mar 2017   |
| 16.       | Patna                       | Bihar      | 1 - 2 Apr 2017     |
| 17.       | Kiul                        | WB         | 3 - 4 Apr 2017     |
| 18.       | Sitamarhi                   | Bihar      | 5 Apr 2017         |
| 19.       | Samastipur                  | Bihar      | 6 Apr 2017         |
| 20.       | Salmari                     | Bihar      | 7 - 8 Apr 2017     |
| 21.       | Fakiragram                  | Assam      | 9 - 10 Apr 2017    |
| 22.       | Lumding                     | Assam      | 11 - 12 Apr 2017   |
| 23.       | Agartala                    | Tripura    | 13 -14 Apr 2017    |
| 24.       | Badarpur                    | Assam      | 15 - 17 Apr 2017   |
| 25.       | North Lakhimpur             | Assam      | 19 - 21 Apr 2017   |
| 26.       | Rangpara North              | Assam      | 22 - 24 Apr 2017   |
| 27.       | Bagdogra                    | WB         | 25 - 26 Apr 2017   |
| 28.       | Dhanbad                     | Jharkhand  | 28 - 30 Apr 2017   |
| 29.       | Barrackpore                 | WB         | 1 - 2 May 2017     |
| 30.       | Kalyani                     | WB         | 3 - 5 May 2017     |

| (1)   | (2)                 | (3)         | (4)                  |
|-------|---------------------|-------------|----------------------|
| 31.   | Chandil             | Odhisha     | 6 - 8 May 2017       |
| 32.   | Bhadrak             | Odhisha     | 9, 11 &12 May 2017   |
| 33.   | Puri                | Odhisha     | 13 - 16 May 2017     |
| 34.   | Chatarpur           | Odhisha     | 17 - 19 May 2017     |
| 35.   | Kottavalasa         | AP          | 20 - 23 May 2017     |
| 36.   | Gudivada            | AP          | 24 - 26 May 2017     |
| 37.   | Mirylaguda          | Telangana   | 27 - 30 May 2017     |
| 38.   | Gulberga            | Karnataka   | 31 May - 2 Jun 2017  |
| 39.   | Kalluru             | AP          | 3 - 5 Jun 2017       |
| 40.   | Whitefield          | AP          | 6 - 8 Jun 2017       |
| 41.   | Kengeri             | Karnataka   | 9 - 11 Jun 2017      |
| 42.   | Koduru              | Karnataka   | 12 - 14 Jun 2017     |
| 43.   | Puducherry          | Puducherry  | 15 - 16 Jun 2017     |
| 44.   | Attur               | Tamilnadu   | 17 - 19 Jun 2017     |
| 45.   | Karur               | Tamilnadu   | 20 - 22 Jun 2017     |
| 46.   | Kodaikanal Road     | Tamilnadu   | 24 Jun 2017          |
| 47.   | Virudhunagar        | Tamilnadu   | 25 - 27 Jun 2017     |
| 48.   | Arumuganeri         | Tamilnadu   | 28 - 30 Jun 2017     |
| 49.   | Kayankulam          | Kerala      | 1 - 4 Jul 2017       |
| 50.   | Guruvayur           | Kerala      | 5 - 7 Jul 2017       |
| 51.   | Kannur              | Kerala      | 8 - 10 Jul 2017      |
| 52.   | Vasco Da Gama       | Goa         | 11 - 13 Jul 2017     |
| 53.   | Ratnagiri           | Maharashtra | 14 - 17 Jul 2017     |
| 54.   | Mumbai CST          | Maharashtra | 19 - 22 Jul 2017     |
| 55.   | Nasik Road          | Maharashtra | 24 - 26 Jul 2017     |
| 56.   | Murtajapur          | Maharashtra | 27 - 29 Jul 2017     |
| 57.   | Nagpur              | Maharashtra | 30 Jul - 02 Aug 2017 |
| 58.   | Amla                | MP          | 3 - 6 Aug 2017       |
| 59.   | Habibganj           | MP          | 7 - 9 Aug 2017       |
| 60.   | Bina                | MP          | 10 - 12 Aug 2017     |
| 61.   | Khajuraho           | MP          | 13 - 14 Aug 2017     |
| (2)   | (2)                 | (4)         | (4)                  |
| 62.   | Marwar              | Rajasthan   | 17 - 18 Aug 2017     |
| 63.   | Balotra             | Rajasthan   | 19 - 21 Aug 2017     |
| 64.   | Deesa               | Gujarat     | 22 - 24 Aug 2017     |
| 65.   | Bhuj                | Gujarat     | 25 - 27 Aug 2017     |
| 66.   | Bhaktinagar         | Gujarat     | 28 - 31 Aug 2017     |
| 67.   | Gondal              | Gujarat     | 1 - 4 Sep 2017       |
| 68.   | Gandhinagar Capital | Gujarat     | 5 - 8 Sep 2017       |

(c) The exhibition aboard the Science Express-Climate Action Special (SECAS) conveys a strong message about Climate Change, its possible causes, mitigation and adaptation strategies and so on among not only the students and teachers but also the masses. It creates awareness about the burning issues and offers a platform for dialogue & discussion. At each halt of SECAS, activities are planned to engage visitors across different age groups to reinforce its message. An exciting outreach programme is also conducted in local schools along with several engaging activities on  the  railway  platforms.  In  addition,  informative  take-away  material  is  made  available  for  wider  distribution amongst schools and visitors. SECAS, since its launch in 2015, has been visited by more than 26 lakh people till 31 March 2016.  By the end of the ongoing 2 nd  Phase of SECAS on 8 September 2017, this  train would have travelled over 39,000kms at 132 halts in about 400 exhibition days.

(d) Plans are afoot to run two more such trains.

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