New Delhi: The Union cabinet has approved the proposal for the establishment of the National Institute of Biotic Stress Management (NIBSM) at Raipur, Chhattisgarh, during the 12th Five Year Plan at a cost of Rs 121.10 crore. The proposal was presented by the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, under the Ministry of Agriculture.
Affirming the government’s decision, Chandrashekhar Sahu, Agriculture Minister of Chhattisgarh, informed that, though many other states quoted for project but the Union Government gave its sanction to set up the institute in Chhattisgarh. He went on to explain that, the proposed institute will be first of its kind which will address the impact of biotic stress and harness potentials of emerging tools of biotechnology, in the agriculture sector.
According to sources, the state government has allotted 105 acres of land for the institute in Baronda, which is about 25 km from the state capital, Raipur. The Union Government will allocate Rs 250 crore for the first phase of setting up the institute. As per the agriculture University officials, the upcoming institute would work under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
It is also informed that this proposed NIBSM will be recognized as a deemed university and will consist of various schools of specialized agricultural studies, such as the School of Crop Health Management Research, School of Crop Health Biology Research, School of Crop Resistance System Research and School of Crop Health Policy-Support Research. Moreover, one of the main objectives of this institute would be enhance the productivity of crops by creating novel mitigation measures to biotic stresses in agriculture and carry out research on multiple causes that causes biotic stress.
