(a) the areas in which Biotechnology is going to make significant changes;
(b) the initiative taken by the Government to provide Research and Development in Bio-technology in these sectors; and
(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken to prevent any misuse of bio-tech intellectuals ?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ( BACHI SINGH RAWAT)
(a) : Biotechnological research is going to make significant changes in the areas of agriculture, health,
environment and industrial development.
(b): The scientific agencies and departments like Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR),
Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR), Indian Council of Mecical Research(ICMR), Department of
Science & Technology(DST) and University Grants Commission(UGC) have been supporting research in biology and
biotechnology from the very beginning. A systematic impetus was provided by establishing a National
Biotechnology Board and subsequently in 1986, a separate Department of Biotechnology. During the years,
grants for research and development projects, creation of infrastructural facilities, human resource
development and large scale demonstration have successfully yielded results with a visible impact.
Autonomous institutions in the areas of immunology, cell science, brain, plant genome research and DNA
fingerprinting and diagnostics have been set up. Almost 200 projects are sanctioned every year in the
identified areas by the Department of Biotechnlogy alone. Many incentives and awards have been instituted to
encourage young students and scientists to join biotechnology research.
(c): The department has set up several committees for ensuring biosafety and bioethics in biotechnology
research. Further, Patent Facilitating Cells in the Department of Biotechnology and also in other science
departments have been established to encourage scientists in filing of patents in biotechnology to protect
their intellectual property rights. Training programmes on IPR issues have been organised in consultation
with World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and other scientific agencies.