Government to set up National Bio-technology Regulatory Authority
03 Mar 2010
The government will set up a Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI), which will be autonomous and statutory agency to regulate the research, transport, import, manufacture and use of organisms and products of modern biotechnology.
The department of biotechnology has prepared a draft Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill through a consultative process involving interdisciplinary and inter-ministerial experts, state governments and stakeholders, minister of state for science and technology Prithviraj Chavan informed the Lok Sabha today.
He, however, said the government cannot give a time frame for setting up the authority.
Besides, he said, the government has supported seven centres for nano technology in various institutions within the country. A separate independent institute of nano science and technology has been set up at Mohali.
The government also proposes to support a Centre for Nano Science and Technology as part of an existing institute in Bangalore.
The proposed Centre for Nano Science and Technology at Bangalore will focus on research on novel nano-materials. This centre will be set up by May 2010. The proposed budget for this centre is Rs113 crore for the remaining period of the XI Plan. However, no funds have been released so far, as the project is yet to receive sanction of the government, he added.
