Centre to boost biotechnology research

New Delhi, Mar 14 (UNI) The central government is to take over the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram and a research centre in Faridabad is to be set up under a central plan to strengthen biotechnology research institutions.

The Centre has proposed to take over the Rajiv Gandhi Centre from the Kerala government, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said. The Centre will get state-of-the-art facilities to raise it to world standards, he said on the Department of Biotechnology Foundation Day yesterday.

The Faridabad research centre in health science will develop new vaccines, futuristic diagnostics and biological drugs as well as establish an incubator for product development, he said.

The centre will also run Masters Degree programme in translational research and clinical sciences and MD/Ph.D for physician- scientists.

The plan to boost biotechnology research also includes a UNESCO centre for teaching and training in the field to cater to the needs of Asian countries.

The government will also upgrade the Central Silk Board as an independent centre for research and development.

Other steps include setting up of a Biotechnology Regulatory Authority for granting licence to biotech products. A committee of secretaries has been constituted to work out the modalities for creation of the authority and rationalisation of laws and regulations.

The government has also decided to give 25 special overseas fellowships to students engaged in stem cell technology and nano biotechnology research.

Twenty undergraduate colleges across the country, one per state, will be supported by the government for high quality teaching in life sciences.

As many as 1,000 undergraduate scholarships for meritorious students from economically weaker sections will also be offered to help them pursue a career in life sciences.

UNI FZ VD HT1930