Government Initiatives

The Government of India has taken multiple initiatives to make India competitive internationally in biotechnology research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and industrial growth. Some of these are:

• On June 9, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi inaugurated the Biotech Startup Expo – 2022. The event was being conducted to commemorate BIRAC's tenth anniversary since its foundation. The Expo's theme was 'Biotech Startup Innovations: Towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat. The Expo showcased 75 successful startups supported by BIRAC, 75 Specialized Biotech Incubation Centres supported by BIRAC, 21 IITs/ universities, 50 successful startups supported by DPIIT and various national and international programs of BIRAC.
• February 2022: In the Union Budget 2022-23, the Department of Biotechnology was allotted Rs. 2,581 crore (US$ 343.56 million) for developing basic infrastructure, genetic engineering, technologies and bioinformatics, agriculture biotechnology, and training skilled professionals.
• In November 2021, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, inaugurated a new Biotechnology Centre for Northeast tribals in the remote area of Kimin (Arunachal Pradesh). He also launched a pan-India Star College Mentorship Programme for young innovators supported by the Department of Biotechnology.

Department of Biotechnology:

• Atal Jai Anusandhan Biotech Mission was implemented by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology. The purpose of this mission is to address the challenges of maternal and child health, antimicrobial resistance, vaccines for infectious disease, food and nutrition, and clean technologies.
• In October 2021, the Department of Biotechnology launched a ‘One Health’ consortium that will survey important bacterial, viral and parasitic infections of zoonotic as well as transboundary pathogens in the country. The consortium consists of 27 organisations and is led by the DBT-National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad.

BIRAC

• Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) established by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is aimed at strengthening and empowering emerging biotechnology enterprises to undertake strategic research and innovation.
• In February 2022, BIRAC invited proposals for development, validation and pre- commercialization of products/ technologies in the areas of healthcare, energy and environment, veterinary sciences and aquaculture, agriculture and secondary agriculture.
• In October 2021, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research in Pondicherry established a research unit funded by BIRAC to undertake clinical trials of new Covid-19 vaccines that are currently in their development stage.
• In October 2021, BioNEST Bioincubator, a healthcare innovation incubation centre, was inaugurated at the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Biotech Parks:

• Biotechnology Parks and Incubators are established across the country by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, to translate research into products and services by providing the necessary infrastructure support.
• These biotechnology parks offer facilities to scientists, and SMEs for technology incubation, technology demonstration and pilot plant studies to accelerate the commercial development of biotechnology.
• The government supports nine biotechnology parks in various states with the bulk being in the southern region of the country.