The chief minister of Karnataka, B.S. Yeddyurappa on Wednesday (February 18) stated that the central government will fund the setting up of a Bio-IT facility in Bangalore. According to reports, the ministry of communications and IT will set up the Bio-IT facility to foster research in genome sequencing and analysis. The facility will come up at newly-built biotech Park in Bangalore with adequate help from the Centre for Human Genetics (CHG), the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Studies and Research (JNCASR) and leading biotech firm Strand Life Sciences.

 

Talking to media, Karnataka CM informed that the central government will meet the major part of cost required to set up the Bio-IT Centre. He added that the state government will initially contribute Rs.50 million in fiscal 2009-10. The CM inaugurated the biotech park Bangalore Helix in the electronics city, located about 40 km from Bangalore. The Rs 1-billion park will have country's first Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) and CHG under phase one.

 

The phase one has been developed at a cost of Rs 16 crore over an area of six acres which included blocks for research institutes. According to Yeddyurappa, the central government will help to manage a fund of Rs 14.37 crore for phase two of the biotech park. He also informed about the intentions of the state government to come up with a revised biotech policy to give thrust to research and development.