GUWAHATI: With a view to forge collaboration in the field of forensic sciences, healthcare and diagnostics, government of Assam inked two memoranda of understanding (MoU) with the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad in presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at a programme held at Janata Bhavan on Tuesday.
Principal Secretary Home and Political Niraj Verma on behalf of Government of Assam and Dr. K. Thangaraj on behalf of the CDFD signed the agreement for collaboration in the field of forensic sciences. While Commissioner and Secretary, Medical Education and Research Siddharth Singh singed the MoU on behalf of the State Government with the CDFD in the fields of healthcare and diagnostic services to facilitate joint initiatives for research programmes, academic programmes and workshops, supervision and exchange of students and patient care services.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that the State Government’s understanding with the CDFD will have far-reaching impact in building a crime-free, secured and healthy society in the State. Thanking the CDFD for entering into agreement, the Chief Minister said that State Government in its bid to make the state crime free, in recent times has initiated to bolster forensic science infrastructure. Referring to the Guwahati Campus of National Forensic Science University in North Guwahati for which foundation stone was already laid by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Minister said that the campus besides empowering the State in forensic science, will also provide training and skill development to the police, judiciary and forensic scientists.
The Chief Minister also said that as a part of the MoU on forensic sciences CDFD will provide DNA profiling training for human identification purposes to the scientific and technical staff of the Directorate of Forensic Science, Assam. He also said that as part of the understanding there will be training and sensitization programmes on areas including evidence collection, handling and transportation methods, chain of custody, quality control and quality assurance issues, etc. He said that the arrangement will also serve as a demonstrator of the value of the technology for criminal justice delivery system in the state.
Chief Minister Sarma also said that the MoU on healthcare and diagnostic services will help in joint research programmes wherein faculty from both Assam Government and CDFD can collaborate on projects based on mutual interests. He also said that the agreement will be immensely helpful for Ph.D students as scholars from Assam can be co-supervised by faculty members from CDFD. Both Assam Government and CDFD will facilitate the visit of their respective faculty and students to engage in scientific research and training, the Chie Minister added.
State Science and Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta, Chief Secretary Paban Kumar Borthakur, DGP GP Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences Dr Dhruba Jyoti Bora, senior government officers and a host of others were present on the occasion.
Also Watch: