Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: First National Gene Bank
Why in the News?
As part of the Union Budget 2025-26, Finance Minister announced the establishment of a second National Gene Bank in India.
About the First National Gene Bank
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About the Second National Gene Bank
- It aims to store over 10 lakh germplasm lines to strengthen food and nutritional security.
- It will complement the first National Gene Bank and expand genetic conservation capacity.
- It is designed to support both public and private sectors in conserving genetic diversity.
- Features and Significance:
- Largest conservation facility in India, expanding germplasm storage capacity beyond the existing 0.47 million accessions in the first gene bank.
- Ensures germplasm accessibility for future generations, preventing genetic erosion due to habitat loss or overexploitation.
- Protects India’s agricultural heritage by preserving native, traditional, and rare plant varieties.
- Aligns with global conservation efforts, including India’s Seed Vault in Chang La (Ladakh) and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (Norway).
- Promotes ex-situ conservation, ensuring crop diversity for future breeding, research, and sustainable farming.
PYQ:[2021] What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of society? |
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