Shimla: The Institute of Himalayan Bio Resources Technology and M/S National Masala Mill, Srinagar signed a agreement jointly at Palampur in H.P. Krishi Vishv Vidyalya in the presence of Prof. P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, Jai Ram Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Power last evening.
The agreement envisaged to produce the saffron cormlets through tissue culture which will be disease free and sent for growing in Pompore area in Jammu and Kashmir.
About IHBT: Govt. of Himachal Pradesh took up initiative in early seventies to set up a CSIR lab to make prudential use of the natural resources of the region. After several levels of discussions a formal request was made by then Chief Minister of HP to Vice President, CSIR in 1982 for initiating the matter, and giving final shape to the proposal. The dream of HP government finally came true in 1983 when the foundation stone of this National lab was laid as CSIR Complex Palampur by Prof. Nurul Hasan, former Vice President of CSIR, with then Chief Minister of HP chairing the function.
The Co-ordinating Director was appointed in February 1984.Since then the Institute is working relentlessly on developing technologies for sustainable utilization of Himalayan bioresources, and in the area of tea, floriculture, bamboos and medicinal and aromatic plants. Looking at the mission of the Institute, the quantum of work undertaken and milestones achieved it was rightly conceived to rename the Institute from CSIR Complex Palampur to Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology at a high level meeting. Finally the Institute received its new name Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) in 1997 by then Prime Minister H.D Deve Gowda. Till date this is the only kind of National R&D laboratory in the state of Himachal.
