In Haryana, Department of Science and Technology is setting up a Centre of Excellence on DNA testing and diagnostics facility for research and application in State. The department has issued a grant of 233.85 lakh rupees to the Centre for Plant Biotechnology (CPB), Hisar for it.<br/><br/>Disclosing this at chandigarh today, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Mr S.S. Prasad, said that the grant is being released to CPB in recognition of commendable progress made by the Centre under various State and Government of India funded research projects.<br/><br/>He said that a state-of-the-art research and development facility would be developed in the centre, which will house latest equipments worth 82 lakhs rupees for DNA testing. He said that in addition, a transgenic green house costing approximately 40 lakhs rupees would also be erected at CPB premises under this project.<br/><br/>He said that this facility would be commercially available to the end users for testing purity and identity of seed material, uniformity of tissue culture raised planting material, authenticity of hybrid origin of the seeds being supplied to the farmers and testing transgenic planting material like BT cotton. He said that it will help to solve the disputes relating to authenticity of varieties, planting material and consumer products and identification of various diseases affecting the crops of Haryana.