Tomar inaugurates world's second-largest refurbished gene bank

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the world's second-largest refurbished state-of-the-art National Gene Bank at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Pusa, New Delhi. The gene bank at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa will benefit farmers with the facilities for germplasm. The National Gene Bank established in the year 1996 to preserve the seeds of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) for future generations can preserve about one million germplasm in the form of seeds. Presently it is protecting 4.52 lakh accessions, of which 2.7 lakh are Indian germplasm and the rest have been imported from other countries. National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources is meeting the need of in-situ and ex-situ germplasm conservation through Delhi Headquarters and 10 regional stations in the country.