Union government is planning investments to the tune of Rs.1,000-crore in nano-science and nano technology over the next five years, including setting up of an international centre for excellence in material science at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCAR) in Bangalore.

Of this, Rs.180 crore would be spent during the current fiscal to set up around seven to eight such facilities across the country.

Between 2003 and 2005, over Rs. 70 crore was spent to set-up the research centres on nano science across the country. The new nano centre at JNCAR, Bangalore is expected to give a fillip to research in electronics to pharmaceuticals. The centre will be developed as the nucleus of the research and development in nano technology and was inaugurated by Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology.

The investments by the government come in to give a big thrust to the nanotechnology, stated Union minister for science and technology.

The proposed international nano centre will be taken forward by the Department of Science and Technology, which is considering increased collaboration with the JNCASR.

The nano lab will focus on energy and also address India's prime requirement in super capacity and nano structures for sensors and photovoltaic cells. Though India is a late starter in the field of nanotechnology it had made a beginning to tap the huge potential of nanotechnology, he said.