New Delhi: The Ministry of Science and Technology on Thursday, April 7 informed the Rajya Sabha that the draft DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill is under consideration and that it has the provision to set up DNA data banks across the country to store DNA profiles.
The ministry also informed the parliament that 23,233 investigation officers (IOs), prosecution officers (POs) and medical officers have been trained to collect forensic evidence in sexual assault cases and the collection of standard components in sexual assault evidence collection kits.
It added that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also approved projects for strengthening DNA analysis, cyber forensics and related facilities in 23 states and Union Territories under the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi Somu had asked if the government has decided to expand the application of DNA-based forensic technologies to support and strengthen the justice delivery system of the country. She had also sought details of the steps taken by the government for the development and application of DNA technologies. She had further asked if the government proposed to set up DNA data banks across the country to store profiles.
The answers were provided by the minister of state for science and technology, Jitendra Singh.
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Singh said that efforts are being to ensure quality and standardisation in forensic examination of cases related to DNA-based forensics.
He further said that the Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS), which comes under the MHA, has issued manuals and guidelines for the collection of forensic evidence in sexual assault cases.
Singh responded to the query on DNA data banks by saying that a state-of-the-art DNA analysis laboratory has also been set up by the MHA at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Chandigarh.
In this written reply, he said that the Department of Biotechnology, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, has formulated the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill.
The Bill is aimed to regulate the use and application of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) technology for establishing the identity of certain categories of persons, including victims, offenders, suspects, missing persons and unknown deceased persons.
The Bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha by Harsh Vardhan, who was then minister for science and technology, in August 2018. It was later passed in January 2019. However, the Bill lapsed due to the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.