Centre takes over Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotech in Kerala

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) The Centre today formally took over the Kerala-based Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) to develop it as a national autonomous institution of excellence for promoting advanced research in cancer, neurobiology and other frontier areas of the subject.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the takeover of the Institute at Thiruvananthapuram and its functioning under the administrative control of the Department of Biotechnology in the Ministry of Science and Technology.

RGCB would be the only central institute in the area of biotechnology in Kerala. The takeover would have a ''major role'' in implementing relevant biotechnology projects both for the state and for the region as a whole, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told mediapersons.

Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said the institute, which had already been rated as India's top ranking biotechnology school, would be converted into a "world class centre of excellence''.

"It is our dream to make it a world class institute...The people of Kerala deserve it," he said, dismissing reports that there were differences between his ministry and the Kerala government over the takeover.

"It will now be administered by us. The state government has agreed." In this context, he said the draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been agreed upon by the state and central governments. "We will sign the MoU soon." Mr Sibal said his ministry would provide interim outlay from its budget for the immediate expenses of the institute. A substantial amount has been budgeted for the next five years. It would have to be cleared by the Expenditure and Finance Committee in the Planning Commission.

Among the aims and objectives of RGCB are transnational cancer research, human genetics, protein engineering, molecular reproduction, molecular microbiology, cancer research, neurobiology and plant molecular biology.

The institute would be a national research centre for bio-drug discovery programmes based on the rich knowledge of traditional systems of medicine prevalent in Kerala.

The institute's expertise would be utilised in cell and molecular biology for developing diagnostic and prognostics markers for disease, drug development and utilisation of biomarker data for developing diagnostic kits for better and early disgnosis of cancer and infectious diseases.

The takeover would facilitate adequate research and teaching facilities for human resource development in biotechnology by offering doctoral programmes and short term courses and training for post-graduates in science, medicine and engineering.

The institute would interact and develop collaborative research programmes in these specified areas with other reputed national and international organisations.

UNI