Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Space and Atomic Energy, today, formally announced the decision to offer collaboration on behalf of Department of Bio-Technology with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi for establishing National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar in Haryana. Addressing a heavily attended Press Conference, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the project is to come up at the cost of 2000 crore and the Department of Bio-Technology under him will offer major inputs for Cancer Research and Care. He also announced the setting up of a Joint Research Advisory Body, which, he claimed, would be possibly the best in the world.
The Minister said this joint initiative with Health Ministry and AIIMS, New Delhi is a part of his Ministry’s and endeavour to use Science and Technology as a medium of service to the society and to promote new technologies at affordable and cost effective price. Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Bio-Technology Department under him will help the medical researchers to design clinical trials and collaborate for joint development and evaluation of vaccines, biomarkers, therapeutics, etc.
In addition, Dr Jitendra Singh also announced setting up of a major new Institute under Department of Bio-Technology for “Pre-term Birth” Research Clinical applications. This will be his Department’s major support to medical science considering the fact that India, with its highest number of Pre-term Birth and the highest number of Pre-term Deaths worldwide, contributes 25% of global pre-term related deaths, he added. Also present at the Press Conference was Secretary of Science & Technology and Bio-Technology.