(a) whether the Government has established the Biotechnology Information System in the
country;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the objectives of such Biotechnology Information System?
(a) whether the Government has established the Biotechnology Information System in the
country;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the objectives of such Biotechnology Information System?
THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI KAPIL SIBAL):
(a) Yes Sir.
(b) 117 institutions have been covered as part of the Biotechnology Information System Network
(BTISnet) established by the Department of Biotechnology. A list of these centres is enclosed as
statement. The BTISnet centres include Five Centres of Excellence, Ten Distributed Information
Centres, 50 Distributed Information Sub-Centres, Fifty Two Bioinformatics Facilities for Biology
Teaching through Bioinformatics and an Apex Biotechnology Information Centre (BTIC) at DBT to
coordinate the BTISnet activities. More details are available on official websites of DBT namely
http://www.dbtindia.gov.in and htty/www.btisnet.gov.in.
(c) The broad objectives of Biotechnology Information System programme are:
(i) To provide infrastructural support for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics research, training of
manpower in Bioinformatics.
(ii) To provide computational support for biological scientists in R and D institutions and
universities.
(iii) To build information resources in the area of biotechnology and develop tools for knowledge
extraction, data transfer, security etc.
(iv) To help the growth of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology industry and act as incubation centre
for bioinformatics industry.
(v) To access information requirements, create necessary infrastructure and provide computer
support services to national community of users working in the biotechnology and allied areas.
(vi) To evolve and implement programmes on education of users and training of information
scientists responsible for handling of biotechnology informtion and its applications to
biotechnology research and development.
(vii) To coordinate efforts to access Biotechnology information world-wide including establishing
linkages with some of the international resources of Biotechnology information (e.g. Databanks on
genetic materials, published literature, patents, and other information of scientific and
commercial value).
(viii) To develop advanced computer-based information processing methods to analyze the Genome,
structural-genome, proteins, microarray metabolism, system biology etc.
(ix) To promote international collaboration towards exchange of scientific information in
biotech nology through the development of appropriate network arrangements.
(x) Training in various aspects of Bioinformatics and use of Bioinformatics to improve quality of
research and development in life sciences and biotechnology.
(xi) Carry out research in BioinformaJics in association with experimental scientists in improving
agricultural productivity, environment, health etc.