First nano-specific research institute to come up in Bangalore

Bangalore, Nov 3 (UNI) In its effort to bring the benefits of nanotechnology in the daily life, the Union Government will be setting up the country's first 'Nano Centre' here to take up advanced research in nano sciences.

The Karnataka government had allotted 15 acres of land for setting up of the Centre. The premier research institute Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) would begin the work on the Rs 100 crore project shortly in association with Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

Briefing newspersons on the initiative, which will be the first of the three such institutes in the country, Union Secretary for Science and Technology T Ramasamy said that the government's intention was to help use of nanotechnology to create 'social wealth'. The two areas where the immediate stress would be given for the use of nanotechnology would be in drinking water supply and agriculture to benefit larger section of the population, he added.

"Delivery of water to agriculture using nanotechnology can bring a revolutionary change in the practices and if applied in supply of drinking water it could help mitigate problems faced by a vast majority of population," he said.

The other two institutes would come up at Kolkata and Mohali.

The institute would be set up under the Rs 1000-crore Nano Mission that was launched by the Union government this year under the chairmanship of noted scientist and JNCASR Director C N R Rao.

Mr Ramasamy said under the Mission the government proposed two pronged approach to implement the use of nano materials. It proposed to add research in nanoscience for development of knowledge. This was to create a 'scientific force' in the country to take up nano research and the institute was meant for this purpose. "The government wants to co-locate nano research institutes at educational institutions for better effect," he said.

Secondly the government would like to make investors 'embrace' the nanotechnology and produce products to create social wealth.

"We want nanotechnology to be useful and affordable to the common man, but we cannot deny the investor who would look mainly at the profitability aspect. We want to bring the investor close to the inventor in this country which has remained the main problem to put to use the fantastic research and development in science that has been achieved by our scientists," he added.

UNI