New Delhi, Jul 26: The Ministry of Science and Technology is setting up a first-of-its-kind Centre of Excellence in the Northeast, according to an official statement on Monday. The project for establishing the 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 soon, it said.
Built at a cost of nearly Rs 50 crore, the project will come up at Kimin in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh and the construction of the new building as well other infrastructure has been completed. 
"The Ministry of Science & Technology is to set up a first-of-its-kind Centre of Excellence in the northeast,” the statement said.  A delegation from Arunachal Pradesh led by Lok Sabha member Tapir Gao, Rajya Sabha member Nabam Rebia and Bamang Mangha, the Chairman of Arunachal Pradesh State Council for Science & Technology, called on Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh and thanked him on their behalf as well as on behalf of the people of the state and the Northeast, the statement said.
Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only given high priority to the 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.
During the Modi government, the minister said, many projects have been pushed forward and undertaken at an expeditious pace through optimum utilisation of technologies of different nature, including space technology and satellite imaging.
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 utilisation certificates through satellite imaging and to speed up the process of sanctioning projects through e-office and other electronic means," it said.
With the setting up of the centre by the Department of Biotechnology, the entire northeastern region will be able to use its fruit and organic food potential to the maximum extent, the minister said.
Besides, this will also help in exploring many vast areas and to find hitherto lesser known or unknown new species, including diverse habitats and diverse flora. This will have a bearing on improving the cultural, social and economic status of the people of the entire northeastern region, the statement added. PTI

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
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