Government Initiatives

• 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, Minister of Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh 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.
• The Government of India and Karnataka government funded Biomoneta, a start-up that developed an air decontamination technology which eliminates airborne Covid-19 virus with 99.99% efficiency in any closed setting.
• In August 2021, the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) introduced ARIVU, an initiative to motivate academics and the industry to carry out research to advance value-chain in industries such as biotechnology and nanotechnology.

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.
• In July 2021, HempStreet became the first medicinal cannabis firm to win a BIRAC grant.
• In July 2021, DBT-BIRAC funded SanMitra 1000 HCT, a hand-cranked dual powered (grid+hand cranked) defibrillator developed by Jeevtronics Pvt. Ltd. Experts believe that this low-cost, light-weight device was more reliable than standard defibrillators as it can be used in regions where electricity is absent.

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.