NBTB:- National Biotechnology Board
NBTB stands for National Biotechnology Board. It started as an official agency set up by the Government of India in 1982 and started functioning under the Department of Science and Technology. It was replaced later by the Department of Biotechnology, a full-fledged department, for planning, promotion, and coordination of various biotechnological programmes. The NBTB was set up by the government to identify areas that required priority and evolve long-term perspective of biotechnology in India.
NBTB was also responsible for conducting and formulating programmes and strengthening indigenous capabilities in this newly emerging discipline. It was chaired by scientist professor MGK Menon, a then member of India’s Planning Commission. The members of this board were the secretaries to the various departments of the government dealing with science. A separate department of biotechnology was later set up in 1986 and Dr. S Ramachandran was selected as the first secretary of the department. It focussed on developing human resources, the creation of appropriate infrastructure, research, and development of biotechnology, and creating a regulatory framework.