OdishaPlus Bureau
Odisha received investment commitment of Rs 1,250 crore in the growing biotechnology sector of the state on the third working day of the Make In Odisha Conclave 2022 at the Janata Maidan ground in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
The announcement was made by state Minister for Science and Technology Ashok Chandra Panda at the sectoral session on Biotechnology where five Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with biotech enterprises and other stakeholders.
The firms and enterprises with who the MoUs were signed include Bharat Biotech – under its anchor Tenant M/s Sapigen Biologix – Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprise (ABLE), Global Network of Entrepreneurs and Professionals for Odisha (GNEPO), Huwel Lifesciences and Crop Gini. The investment is said generate direct and indirect employment opportunity for more than 8,000 people.
Addressing the thematic session titled, “Emerging Landscape of Biotechnology in Odisha’, Panda said “Odisha with its abundant biodiversity, 480 km long coastline, rich mangrove and swamplands in Bhitarkanika, brackish water lakes like Chilika, forests like Simlipal and medicinal plant rich Mahendragiri give ample opportunity for Biotechnology explorations. The myriad agro-climatic zones and natural resources of the state offer tremendous opportunity, particularly in the fields of agriculture, food processing and floriculture along with Marine Biotech.”
Citing the grand success of the Millets Mission in the state which has been wholeheartedly supported by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Panda said, “Biotechnology offers solutions to a range of issues concerning health to food security. We are going to offer all kind of support to Biotechnology startups.”
He added, “Keeping in mind the importance of the sector, the Govt of Odisha in its IPR 2022 has identified Biotechnology as a ‘Thrust Sector’. All eligible Biotechnology ventures will be given adequate Govt handholding with support offered by various policies, ranging from Biotechnology policy to Startup policy, to set up enterprises and grow. With industry academia linkage, collaborative environment, world class industrial facilities, network of angel & venture capitalist funds and govt support, the sector is poised to grow. There will be opening of opportunities for many startups with the positive biotechnology climate in the state.” Panda said.
The Minister said institutes like KIITs and ILS have been allotted Rs 2 Crores each to take forward further research and upgradation in Biotechnology. Moreover, the Govt has tied up with the Utkal University and Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) for the betterment of Biotech Sector in Odisha. “Bhubaneswar will become a vibrant Biotechnology hub in the coming years,” Shri Panda said.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary,Science and Technology Department, Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma and Joint Secretary, Science, and Technology Department, Ms. Puja Mishra also spoke on the occasion.Sashikant Dash Deputy Director, Department of Science and Technology and Laxmi Narayan Padhi were present in the session.
Around 170 participants, including entrepreneurs, Government officials, and academicians took part in the session.
The Session deliberated on competitive advantages of Odisha in the promising areas of Biotechnology such as agriculture, marine and diagnostics.
The thematic sectoral session was followed by panel discussions on ‘Bio-pharma’ and ‘Agriculture & Industry’ which were participated by industry leaders, entrepreneurs and various stakeholders.
Dr. Anu Acharya, Founder Mapmygenome, Dr. Shesheer Kumar, Founder-Huwel Life Sciences, Hyderabad, Dr. Nusrat Sanghamitra Jahan, Founder CyGenica, Pune and Dr. Amulya Panda, Associate Director, Panacea Biotech spoke at the panel discussion on Bio-pharma. The discussion was moderated by Dr. PM Murli, President, Council of Presidents ABLE& Chairman Golden Jubilee Biotech Park for women, Chennai.
The speakers at the Panel Discussion on Agriculture included Mr. GS Krishnan, President, ABLE, Bangalore. Dr. Manish Diwan, Head- Strategic Partnership &Entrepreneurship Development Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), New Delhi, Dr. KK Narayanan, Founder KottaramAgro Foods Pvt Ltd, Bangalore and Mr. Krishna Prasad, Senior VP, Shilpa Biologicals, Dharwad. It was moderated by Dr. MrutyunjaySuar, Chairman, Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC) an initiative of Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the GoI, Bhubaneswar.
Tags: #BiotechnologyInOdisha #BharatBiotech #MakeInOdishaConclave #ScienceAndTechDept #BiotechnologyIndustry #BiotechPark