Lok Sabha passed Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016

••     Lok Sabha passed Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016

•      The Lok Sabha on 25 April 2016 passed the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016 to provide statutory status to the existing Regional Centre for Biotechnology in Faridabad,

•      The Bill seeks to provide the status of national importance to the Centre for facilitating transfer of technology and knowledge and making it a hub for biotechnology expertise in the Asian region.

•      Disseminate knowledge by providing teaching and research facilities in biotechnology and related fields

•      Create a hub of biotechnology expertise

•      Facilitate transfer of technology and knowledge in the SAARC region and generally Asia.

•      Promote cooperation at the international level.

•      The centre, located in Faridabad in Haryana, will be a state of the art institute and a regional hub for interdisciplinary education, training and research in biotechnology.

•      The Regional centre will provide masters and doctoral degrees, and post-graduate diplomas in biotechnology and related subjects.

•      It will have Board of Governors, Programme Advisory Committee, Executive Committee and Finance Committee etc as authorities responsible for its administration and functioning.

•      In 2006, India had entered into an agreement with the UNESCO regarding establishment of the Regional Centre to serve the member countries of UNESCO.

•      In this regard, the Union government through an executive order had established the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Training and Education in Faridabad, Haryana in 2009.