In recent news, the Rajasthan government is poised to involve itself in a memorandum of understanding agreement with the Centre’s Department of Biotechnology. Their joint objective is to establish the very first biotechnology park and incubation centre within the state. Reinforced by the support of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), this project holds promise for a new wave of accelerated scientific research and employment opportunities.
The Goals of the New Biotechnology Park and Incubation Centre
The endeavour aims to benefit the state in several ways. Primarily, this initiative will enable the Rajasthan government to delve into and conduct substantial research in the field of biotechnology. As a result, it will stimulate job creation, providing employment opportunities to the youth in the state.
Furthermore, the centre and park are designed to encourage interdisciplinary field research. This includes emerging fields like bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, and nanomedicine. The overarching goal is to promote the growth and expansion of biotechnology in various sectors including health, agriculture, industry, and food. By doing this, the park and centre aim to bolster science-based manufacturing in industrialisation, contributing to the overall development of the region.
Biotechnology Parks and Incubators Nationwide
To date, the Department of Biotechnology has successfully set up Biotechnology Parks and Incubators across the country. These outfits are dedicated to translating research into tangible products and services. They offer scientists and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) crucial infrastructure support, fostering technology incubation, demonstration, and pilot plant studies. This enables fast-tracked commercial progression within the sphere of Biotechnology.
| Number of Biotech Parks Supported | Launch of National Biotechnology Parks Scheme |
|---|---|
| 9 | Yes |
National Biotechnology Parks Scheme
In tandem with the above efforts, the Department has inaugurated the ‘National Biotechnology Parks Scheme.’ This scheme is intended to foster an ideal ecosystem that can take in start-ups graduating from incubators. It offers these entities a platform to escalate their R&D activities. They would do so in conjunction with the state government and relevant industries.
About the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, or BIRAC, is a Public Sector Enterprise set up by the Department of Biotechnology. BIRAC essentially acts as a bridge linking industry and academia. It executes its mandate through a wide array of impactful initiatives that aim to fortify and enable emerging Biotech enterprises. The goal here is to encourage strategic research and innovation that directly addresses nationally relevant product development needs.
