Genetic Engineering

Genetic Engineering is a fast growing area in the country and at present there are around 300 institutions in public and private sector which are working on research programmes relevant to important sectors including agriculture.

The Government is making concerted efforts for promoting and strengthening this area by providing research facilities and supporting research programmes covering both basic and applied aspects in the field of agriculture, floriculture, fisheries and animal sciences.

The Government had earlier set up three Genetic Engineering Units in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Presently, a Centre for Genetic Engineering and Strain Manipulation is being supported at Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai. The Government has also established a National Centre for Plant Genome Research in New Delhi to work in the area of plant genomics. In addition, Centres for Plant Molecular Biology were established at seven national institutions and universities for promoting plant molecular biology research including application of genetic engineering for crop improvement. There are many other general universities, state agricultural universities, national agricultural research institutions which have developed fairly good competence for undertaking research in this field.

The Government is supporting research programmes on application of genetic engineering techniques for improving the productivity of our important crops through reducing their losses due to biotic and abiotic stresses, heterosis breeding and improving their nutritional quality. In the area of animal sciences efforts are being made for use of genetic engineering techniques to develop suitable transgenic animals, vaccines and animal feed, while in fisheries area, programme is being pursued for developing transgenic fish for various purposes.

In West Bengal, Bose Institute, Kolkata; Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Kalyani; and Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur are being supported for developing transgenic rice resistant to salinity & drought, tungro viral disease and improved mustard respectively.

This information was given by the Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : August 18, 2006