Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, July 26 : The Union Ministry of Science & Technology is to set up a first-of-its-kind “Centre of Excellence”, in the Northeast .
The prestigious project for establishing “Centre for Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development as a Centre of Excellence” was sanctioned by the Department of Biotechnology and is complete for formal inauguration shortly. The exact location of the project is at Kimin, district Papum Pare in Arunachal Pradesh and the construction of the new building as well other infrastructure has been completed. Built at a cost of nearly Rs. 50 crore, the funding agency is the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
A delegation from Arunachal Pradesh led by Tapir Gao, Senior Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Nabam Rebia, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and Bamang Mangha, Chairman of Arunachal Pradesh State Council for Science & Technology today called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and thanked on their behalf as well as on behalf of the people of Arunachal Pradesh in particular and the people of the entire North Eastern Region in general.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only given high priority to Northeast but has also called for utilising latest technology for infrastructural development and value addition to the ongoing projects. Therefore, for this purpose, it is important that the region should have its own Technology Resource Centres and the proposed Centre of Excellence is aimed to address this objective.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, at one point of time, there were allegations and counter-allegations regarding misappropriation of funds. But now, for example, we have in place a mechanism to obtain Utilization Certificates through Satellite Imaging and to speed up the process of sanctioning projects through e-Office and other electronic means.