The Ministry of Environment has agreed to the suggestion from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to enhance the powers of the Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) in sanctioning approvals for experimental purposes. The decision is to be of much help to biotech companies and research institutions that needs to conduct experiments on large scale.

Until now, all approvals beyond 20-litre fermentation needed the approval of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) of the Ministry of Environment while RCGM had the powers to give all minor approvals. Research as well as commercial development beyond 20 litres capacity were included in the category of large-scale experimentation/operations and needed GEAC approval. With the new directive, GEAC would continue to be the sanctioning authority for industrial purposes, but research needs can be approved by RCGM.

The fresh directive has come after multi-level approvals involving two agencies were found to be delaying the approvals for R&D efforts in the country.

The RCGM set up by DBT that comes under the Ministry of Science and Technology is presently in charge of reviewing the reports in all approved ongoing research projects involving high-risk category and controlled field experiments. It has the powers to visit the site of experimental facilities periodically where projects with biohazard potential are being pursued and also at a time prior to the commencement of the activity to ensure that adequate safety measures are taken as per the guidelines. The authority issues authorisation for import and receipt of etiologic agents and vectors, germ plasms, organelle, etc. needed for experimental work/training and research.

GEAC is the supreme authority when it comes to the sanctions for import, export, manufacture, process, sell, use of any genetically engineered substances or cells including food stuffs and additives that contains rDNA products.