ID :
47846
Thu, 02/26/2009 - 22:12
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/47846
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INDIA OPENS UNESCO BIOTECH CENTRE
By P. Vijian
NEW DELHI, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- India opens its new regional biotechnology centre Thursday, saying that it will be a technology of hope that can help resolve health and agriculture related woes -- both a common concern in one of the world's populace continents.
Backed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO), India had invested about RM80 million (US$22 million) to
build the premier centre in Faridabad, in Haryana, about 30 km from the Indian
capital.
"Ultimately in the 21st century, solutions for the kind of problems
confronting health, agriculture and food security have to come from
biotechnology, using cutting edge technology and interdisciplinary methods.
"We want to build high quality human resources together with UNESCO and give
a regional flavour to it (centre)," India's Science, Technology and Earth
Sciences Minister Kapil Sibil said at the inaugural session.
The centre, to function by this June, is expected to cater for the Asian
region, with a powerful research base and is expected to produce a new cadre of
highly skilled professionals in biotechnology.
Meanwhile, UNESCO deputy director-general Marcio Barbosa said that the
centre, a training and education institution, would become a leading
biotechnology hub in the region as it is located in India, which is in the
forefront in science and technology.
"The advancement in biotechnology can contribute to medical, food production
and environment and provide a platform to connect the region and tackle
problems faced by the region.
"The centre in India can strengthen Asia and Pacific and contribute to a
global level," Barbosa said.
India, backed by thousands of home-grown scientists, is hoping to generate
US$7 billion from the industry by 2012 and to reach this target, the Indian
government plans a five-fold increase in funding to US$1.6 billion by that year.
India's biotechnology industry is growing at 35 percent per annum.
-- BERNAMA
NEW DELHI, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- India opens its new regional biotechnology centre Thursday, saying that it will be a technology of hope that can help resolve health and agriculture related woes -- both a common concern in one of the world's populace continents.
Backed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO), India had invested about RM80 million (US$22 million) to
build the premier centre in Faridabad, in Haryana, about 30 km from the Indian
capital.
"Ultimately in the 21st century, solutions for the kind of problems
confronting health, agriculture and food security have to come from
biotechnology, using cutting edge technology and interdisciplinary methods.
"We want to build high quality human resources together with UNESCO and give
a regional flavour to it (centre)," India's Science, Technology and Earth
Sciences Minister Kapil Sibil said at the inaugural session.
The centre, to function by this June, is expected to cater for the Asian
region, with a powerful research base and is expected to produce a new cadre of
highly skilled professionals in biotechnology.
Meanwhile, UNESCO deputy director-general Marcio Barbosa said that the
centre, a training and education institution, would become a leading
biotechnology hub in the region as it is located in India, which is in the
forefront in science and technology.
"The advancement in biotechnology can contribute to medical, food production
and environment and provide a platform to connect the region and tackle
problems faced by the region.
"The centre in India can strengthen Asia and Pacific and contribute to a
global level," Barbosa said.
India, backed by thousands of home-grown scientists, is hoping to generate
US$7 billion from the industry by 2012 and to reach this target, the Indian
government plans a five-fold increase in funding to US$1.6 billion by that year.
India's biotechnology industry is growing at 35 percent per annum.
-- BERNAMA
