Context: Union Minister of Science and Technology addresses faculty and students at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) in Mohali, Chandigarh.
About INST Mohali:
- INST Mohali is India’s first Nano-Science Institute dedicated to research and product development in Nanoscience and Technology.
- It is an autonomous research institution under the Society Registration Act, 1960.
- INST Mohali operates under the Department of Science and Technology’s national mission on Nano Science and Technology (NANO Mission).
- It started its activities on 3rd January 2013.
- Research Focus Areas:
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- Agricultural Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine, Energy and Environmental Science, Quantum Materials and Device Physics, Nano Electronics, Microfluidics Based Technologies, Nanobiotechnology.
- Aims: To emerge as a globally competitive research institution, applying nanoscience in agriculture, medicine, energy, and the environment.
What are the objectives of INST Mohali?
- Resource building – Infrastructure and Manpower
- Enhance research activity in Nano Science and Nano Technology
- Training students in the Ph.D. program in Nano Science and Technology
- Generating patents in Nano Science and Technology
About Nanotechnology:
- Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on a near-atomic scale to produce new structures, materials and devices.
- Applications: It promises scientific advancement in many sectors such as medicine, consumer products, energy, materials, and manufacturing.
- Example:
- Electronics: Carbon nanotubes are on the verge of replacing silicon in microchip production, leading to smaller, faster, and more efficient devices.
- Biomedicine: Nanomaterials prove advantageous in biomedicine, offering improvements in the early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.
About NANO Mission:
- The Nano Science and Technology Initiative (NSTI) paved the way for the Mission on Nano Science and Technology (Nano Mission) in May 2007.
- Mission Launch and Approval:
- Launched by the Government of India in May 2007.
- Approval for continuation in Phase II during the 12th Plan period with a budget of Rs. 650 crore.
- Nodal Agency:
- The Department of Science and Technology serves as the nodal agency for implementing the Nano Mission.
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News Source: PIB