The Hindu : National : Plant protection institute to be restructured

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Saturday, Jul 26, 2008
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Plant protection institute to be restructured

P. Sunderarajan

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet gave its nod for strengthening and restructuring the national plant protection training institute at Hyderabad into an autonomous agency called the National Institute of Plant Health Management to meet the emerging needs in the area of plant protection in a more effective manner.

It will function as a centre of excellence in support of the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage in relation to bilateral and multilateral negotiations on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) matters. Apart from acting as a policy support centre in all SPS matters, the institute would create adequate capacity, both in public and private sectors to meet the growing challenges of non-tariff barriers in the form of SPS issues and help protect the country’s agro-ecosystem from alien pests and diseases.

With stem cell research gaining in importance in recent years, the Union Cabinet, Chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also cleared a proposal for setting up of a separate Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine in Bangalore at a cost of Rs. 203 crore.

Stem cell institute

It will be an autonomous institution under the Department of Biotechnology in the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Institute will have a flexible management policy.

It will be able to hire exceptionally qualified overseas candidates if found necessary, and offer one scale higher than the level of an available post for meritorious candidates. It will also offer a special allowance for outstanding performance to 20 per cent of the faculty or scientists and raise endowments from private foundations for scientific purposes.

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