Government Supports Bio-Technology Development

The Department of Biotechnology provides grant-in-aid support for research & development, and capacity building in the area of biotechnology to universities, research institutes and not-for-profit organizations across the country. In addition grant-in-aid is also provided for creation of Centers of Excellence in emerging areas. During the last 5 years more than 2000 R&D Projects have been supported; 74 universities have been supported for post-graduate biotechnology programmes, 60 universities and research institutes have been provided support for bioinformatics network centers. In addition 57 biotechnology infrastructure facilities have been established across the country for cutting edge basic research and process and product development.

To promote excellence in biotechnology it is proposed to establish Centers of Excellence in the areas of :

• Transnational research in public health
• Stem Cell
• Marine biotechnology
• Animal biotechnology
• Nutritional genomics and food biotechnology
• Herbal Medicine
• Molecular medicine
• Bio-materials and devices and
• Bio-informatics

In addition centers would also be supported in other frontier emerging areas of Biotechnology.

This information was given by Shri Kapil Sibbal, Minister of State, Science and Technology and Ocean Development in Lok Sabha today.

Source : Ministry of Science & Technology
Date : July 29, 2005