| Posted: January 22, 2008 |
Punjab taking steps to setting up bio- and nanotechnology institutes |
|
(Nanowerk News) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today sought an early Environment and Forest Clearance (EFC) for setting up of a world class National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute and Bio-processing Unit and National Institute of Nanotechnology in the state.
|
|
He made this demand during his meeting with Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal at New Delhi.
|
|
During the meeting the Chief Minister said that the state government had already fulfilled its commitment of acquiring 381.38 acres of land at a cost of Rs 274.35 crore at Mohali for the proposed knowledge city.
|
|
He also urged the Union Minister for the upgradation of three colleges in the state--- Satish Chandra Dhawan Government College, Ludhiana, Government Mohindra College, Patiala and Government Science and Research College, Jagraon to the level of Star Life Science colleges. He informed that the detailed proposal of these colleges had already been sent to the Department of Biotechnology for approval.
|
|
The Chief Minister also impressed upon the Minister to link the state's tele-medicine project including Primary Health Centre at Badal village in Muktsar and Community Health Centre, Machhiwara in Ludhiana with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi . He also asked Mr Sibal to expedite the approval for setting up of Centre of Excellence for Veterinary and Animal Science at Guru Angad Dev University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ludhiana.
|
|
The Chief Minister also requested clearance of the state government's proposal for using 3D technology for urban and planning and management, initially for Ludhiana and its surrounding areas.
|
|
Mr Sibal assured the Chief Minister of fulsome support and cooperation for the execution of these prestigious projects within a time frame. Mr Sibal informed the Chief Minister that his Ministry had cleared the four pending proposals for the setting up of Centres of Excellence in the areas of Bio-pesticides, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Genetic Engineering and Technology Assessment and Transfer.
|
|
Earlier, the Chief Minister also called on Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy and sought an early approval of the detailed project reports (DPRs) for augmentation of sewerage treatment plant at Ludhiana under JNNURM. He also mentioned that the Punjab government would soon submit DPR for eight projects under Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) involving a cost of Rs 1150 crores. The Ministry of Urban Development had earmarked Rs 226 crore for the entire 11 th Plan for Punjab under the scheme.
|
|
Mr Reddy agreed in principle to approve all the proposals put forth by the Chief Minister and assured his Ministry's support and co-operation. He asked Mr Badal to bring any number of urban development projects and these would be accorded approval on priority bases as planned and said integrated development of urban sector was important.
|
