Clarify delay in transferring RGCB to Centre: Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 1 (UNI) Opposition Leader in the Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy today asked Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan to clarify the delay in transferring the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) to the Centre.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Chandy said in last year's budget speech, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram had proposed to make the RGCB a national autonomous institution under the Ministry of Science and Technology. The United Democratic Front (UDF) government in March subsequently approved the proposal. A year had elapsed and still the decision was awaited.

He asked the Chief Minister to clarify discussions his government had with the Centre regarding the transfer. ''If Mr Achuthanandan has corresponded with the Centre on the issue, then he should divulge them,'' he added.

He said if Mr Achuthanandan thought that the RGCB could be run with the state's resources, then it was welcome. ''But the main problem with the state government is lack of resources,'' he said.

The Centre in its 2006 budget had earmarked Rs 800 crore for the development of bio-technology in the country and a major share of this money could have been used for the development of RGCB, which was considered to be the top most bio-technology institute in the country, if the state government had not delayed the transfer.

The controversy over transfer of the RGCB came into limelight after allegations that Mr Achuthanandan had delayed the transfer for personal reasons.

UNI