The Mission on Nano Science and Technology, launched by the Centre in 2007, will be providing loans or grants of up to Rs 10 crore to industries for development of nano-based products from next fiscal, as part of its initiatives to quicken the pace of commercialisation of nano products and devices.

“The current pace of commercialisation of nano products is slow. We see it picking up in the next five years. The loan or grant amount can be increased depending on the type of project the industry takes up,” Prof C.N.R. Rao, Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister, told media persons on the sidelines of an international conference on Nano Science and Technology.

The Nano Mission has drafted the delivery mechanism for the loan or grants to industries, which had been holding up implementation of the scheme.

“There will be a technical appraisal and elaborate due diligence before sanction of the loan or grant. The mission will rope in a financial institution to deliver the product,” Prof Rao said.

He felt that there will be a slew of new nano technology-based products and devices in the next two to three years in India, especially in the fields of biotechnology, water purification and agriculture. In the agri sector, work was going on to use this technology for slower release of insecticide and pesticide, while pharma firms were researching on using nano for better drug delivery mechanisms.

The Nano Mission has so far established eight thematic units of excellence, seven centres of nano technology and three accelerator-based research facilities. It has also resulted in filing of 120 Indian and 11 foreign patents.

Dr P. Asthana, Mission Director, said a task force has recently been set up to chalk out the roadmap for a regulatory framework for nano technology. It has investment about Rs 1500 crore in the last five years for basic research promotion, infrastructure development, nano applications and international collaborations.

>amitmitra@thehindu.co.in

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