Prime Minister Announces National Gene Bank to Safeguard India’s Genetic Resources
The announcement was made during a webinar aimed at fostering collaboration between government, industry, academia, and citizens to translate the budget’s transformative announcements into effective outcomes. This new facility will house 1 million germplasm lines, providing crucial conservation support for both public and private sectors.
ICMR Releases Ethical Guidelines for Integrative Medicine Research
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has published an addendum to its National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants (2017), establishing a structured ethical framework for Research in Integrative Medicine (RIM). The addendum provides clear ethical guidelines for research that combines traditional Ayush systems with modern medical practices, ensuring ethical rigor and regulatory compliance.
Government Launches Scheme to Boost Ethanol Production in Cooperative Sugar Mills
The scheme encourages Cooperative Sugar Mills (CSMs) to convert their existing sugarcane-based ethanol plants into multi-feedstock facilities, enabling them to utilize grains like maize and Damaged Food Grains (DFG) for ethanol production.
Health Minister Nadda Inaugurates International Symposium on Health Technology Assessment (ISHTA 2025)
The symposium, organized by the Department of Health Research (DHR) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) India Country Office and the Centre for Global Development (CGD), focuses on “Bridging Evidence to Policy: Health Technology Assessment for Affordable Healthcare.”
CEA Releases Comprehensive Guidelines for Optical Fiber Usage in Power Systems
The guidelines aim to establish a structured framework for the efficient and secure utilization of optical fiber infrastructure, crucial for the modern and rapidly expanding power sector. The CEA has requested all utilities, Transmission Service Providers (TSPs), power system stakeholders, and users to adopt and adhere to these guidelines.
GIFT City to promote India’s aviation sector
The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation jointly with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) with the support of the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA), organised the second “India Aircraft Leasing and Financing Summit” at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
Treatment of unclaimed funds clients of Trading Members: SEBI extends timeline to submit comments
It has been decided to extend the timeline to submit the public comments on the consultation paper till March 31, 2025.
SEBI proposals: Minimum subscription size at Social Stock Exchanges
The Social Stock Exchange Advisory Committee (SSEAC) and SEBI had organized a special outreach session for NPOs and Donors to help increase further interest in the SSE platform.
RBI governor meets with Fintechs – need for innovation
The Governor, in his remarks, recognised the important role played by the FinTechs including the payment system players, account aggregators, digital lending service providers in the growth of India’s financial system and economy. The Governor underscored the need for responsible innovation and emphasised the need for ensuring compliance by the entities who are new to regulatory space. He also emphasized that RBI values such interactions with the ecosystem participants and would continue to adopt a consultative approach.
CDSCO Launches Online Registration for Clinical Research Organizations (CROs) via SUGAM Portal
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has announced the launch of online registration for Clinical Research Organizations (CROs) through the SUGAM portal. This initiative follows the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s notification making CRO registration mandatory from April 1, 2025.
