Sign In
Learn bits
Schemes & Policies
Mahesh

25/08/24 22:27 PM IST

Cabinet clears Vigyan Dhara, biotech initiatives

In News
  • The Centre approved two key science initiatives to strengthen the research base and accelerate search for science and technology solutions to some of the country’s pressing needs in sectors like clean energy.
Vigyan Dhara
  • Vigyan Dhara, for example, merges several existing DST schemes including the INSPIRE programme that works to attract young talent to science research.
  • Vigyan Dhara has three broad components — human and institutional capacity building, research and development, innovation and technology development, and also deployment. Existing schemes would fall under one of these components.
  • There are two big benefits of Vigyan Dhara. DST gets the flexibility to reorient schemes within the broad framework of achieving the three objectives.
  • This can include reallocation of funds as well… The second thing is the ANRF (Anusandhan National Research Foundation, a newly created institution) is creating its own programmes.
  • It is important to avoid duplication of work and energy. The flexibility of the DST to refashion its existing programmes helps in this as well.
  • On biotechnology side, the new initiative aims to support innovation-driven research and development across six thematic areas.
  • The first will focus on bio-chemicals, bio-enzymes, and bio-polymers, which will mainly have industrial, consumer, and scientific applications.
  • The second pillar will focus on smart proteins and functional foods.
  • The second pillar will focus on developing functional foods that can complement land-based food production, thereby reducing pressure on land resources.
  • The third will focus on bio-therapeutics. Targeted therapy is emerging as the cutting-edge treatment for several genetic conditions and cancers.
  • The fourth will focus on agriculture, supporting development of bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides.
  • This will help make agriculture resilient and also reduce levels of chemicals in foods.
  • The fifth will focus on developing bio-fuels and bio-chemicals, especially those that are developed from captured carbon emissions.
  • This will help in creating a circular economy.
  • And, last area was marine and space application to focus on developing products from marine ecosystems.
Source- Indian Express

More Related Current Affairs View All

31 Jan

Controlled cannabis cultivation

'Recently, the  Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved a pilot study by two universities on the controlled cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes.' The

Read More

30 Jan

Isro’s 100th launch

'With the first launch of 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation achieved the significant milestone of having carried out 100 launches.' The GSLV-F15 put in orbit the navi

Read More

29 Jan

Classifying denotified tribes

'The Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRI) across the country have for the first time comprehensively categorised 268 denotified, semi-nomadic

Read More

India’s First Ai-Driven Magazine Generator

Generate Your Custom Current Affairs Magazine using our AI in just 3 steps