The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its clearance for the continuation of the National Mission on nano-science and technology in its second phase in the 12th plan period at a cost of Rs. 650 crores.
Launched in May 2007, the mission has been working to help scientists, institutions and the industry in terms of promoting basic research, development of adequate manpower resources, augmentation the infrastructure for research and generation of socially useful products.
Announcing the Cabinet decision, an official statement noted that as a result of the efforts led by the mission, India has moved from the fourth position to the third in the world in terms of scientific publications in nano-science and technology.
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It also noted that Indian scientists now have access to global state-of-the-art facilities like the photon factory at Tsukuba, Japan and Petra III in Hamburg, Germany and that the mission has created a platform for a national dialogue towards development of standards for nanotechnology and for laying down a regulatory framework roadmap for the cutting edge technology.