Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh receives an Aranmula Mirror (Aranmula Kannadi) from Chandrabhas Narayana, director BRIC-RGCB, during a gathering of farmers and artisans in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The time has come for India to lead in the biotechnology sector, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh has said.
He was addressing a gathering of 300 SC/ST farmers and artisans, who are beneficiaries of different projects spearheaded by Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council-Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (BRIC-RGCB) and Swadeshi Science Movement-Kerala (SSM-K), on Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology campus in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.
The Union Minister said that India is now preparing for the next industrial revolution, and initiatives like BioE3 policy, which has emphasis on economy, environment and employment, will help for that. After Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister, a big thrust has been given to sectors like biotechnology, Dr. Singh said. It is also time for India to rise globally with primary emphasis given to biotechnology, space, agriculture sectors.
‘Science capital’
The Union Minister further said that it is time to creatively think about how to add value to the products cultivated by our farmers. Referring to the presence of leading science and technology institutions in the city, he said Thiruvananthapuram has become the science capital of the country, just as it is known as the tourism capital. It can also be called the science capital as it has become a favourite destination for scientists. The place has immense scientific and research potential because of the resources as well as the legacy of science research and innovation that has been here for generations, he said.
He also said that during the outbreak of COVID-19, Indian scientific institutions had demonstrated their strength before the world. A faculty from RGCB was part of the global presentation of the vaccine, a product of the Biotechnology department.
On the occasion, the Minister released two books published as part of science heritage project. He also launched six community projects under the tribal heritage project of BRIC-RGCB and felicitated award winning farmers in the event. RGCB director Chandrabhas Narayan, who presided over the function, handed over a memento to the Union Minister.
Air quality monitoring facility
In another event, Dr. Singh unveiled Pavana Chitra, India’s first airport based self-powered indoor air quality monitoring facility at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The off-grid air quality monitor is powered by indigenous indoor solar cells developed by CSIR-NIIST, crafted from locally available materials.
Published – October 17, 2024 07:19 pm IST
