Badal wants science and tech institute for Punjab

Chandigarh, May 30 (UNI) Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called upon on the Union Government to set up of a world class science and technology institute in Punjab so as to infuse scientific temper amongst the youth in the region.

The Chief Minister raised this issue with Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal at a meeting at his residence in New Delhi.

Mr Badal also urged the minister to expedite the establishment of the National Agri Food Biotechnology Institute and Biotechnology Processing Unit and National Institute of Nano Technology in Punjab, He pointed out that both these projects had already been cleared by the Planning Commission.

He said that the state had already earmarked 130 acres and 35 acres of land for the Biotechnology and Nano Technology institutes respectively in the Knowledge City coming at Mohali.

Meanwhile, Mr Sibal assured the Chief Minister of fulsome support and cooperation for the execution of these prestigious projects within a time frame. He also invited Mr Badal alongwith a team of the senior officers of the state science and technology department at New Delhi on July 2 for a presentation of different centrally sponsored schemes and plans of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Mr Sibal also briefly outlined the salient features of the different scholarship schemes run by the Ministry in the pursuit of higher education in science and technology.

UNI