The world is looking up to India as an emerging Biomanufacturing Hub, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said today.
Biotechnology Startups and Institutional linkages with Industry will drive IndiaтАЩs Bioeconomy in the years to come, he said.
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Space and Atomic Energy, Dr Jitendra Singh said this while inaugurating the 3rd Global Bio-India, mega international congregation on Biotechnology, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that our Bioeconomy witnessed double digit growth rate year-on-year in the last 9/10 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
тАЬIn 2014, IndiaтАЩs bioeconomy stood at just about $10 Billion, this fiscal we are likely to touch $150 billion and we look forward to having $300 Billion by 2030,тАЭ he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, India has made rapid strides in the last 8/9 years. тАЬWe had just 55 (Biotech) Startups in 2014, now we have more than 6,000,тАЭ he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, today there are over 3,000 Agritech Startups and are very successful in areas like Aroma Mission and Purple Revolution.
тАЬAbout 4,000 people are engaged with Lavender cultivation and earning lakhs of rupees,тАЭ he said.
The S&T Minister said, Biotechnology will provide the тАЬfuture value additionтАЭ to IndiaтАЩs economy in the years to come.
тАЬIndia has a huge wealth of bioresources, an unsaturated resource waiting to be harnessed and an advantage in Biotechnology especially due to the vast biodiversity and the unique bioresources in the Himalayas. Then there is the 7,500 kms long coastline and under the Deep Sea Mission, we are going to dig the biodiversity beneath the seas,тАЭ he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said Biotechnology has emerged as a trending career option among the youth. In a recent survey of Class 12 students in Delhi it was found that Biotechnology was ranked as the preferred stream at No.4/5 whereas earlier it didnтАЩt figure anywhere as a career option, he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, PM Narendra Modi has created the milieu for entrepreneurship and a thriving industry.
тАЬWe had everything, but we were possibly waiting for an enabling milieu to happen. And that enabling milieu happened after Prime Minister Modi came in,тАЭ he said.
Hailing PM Modi for taking the lead during the G20 New Delhi Summit, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the launch of Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) will foster global collaboration for the advancement and widespread adoption of biofuels.
тАЬBiotechnology will be the key to Amrit Kaal economy and also for making India a frontline nation in the world,тАЭ he said.
Stating that there is no more room for scepticism, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the policy planning changes during the nine years of leadership under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi have created mutual trust between public and private sectors.
Calling for wider synergy among Government, Academia, Startups and Industry, Dr Jitendra Singh said the dictum is: тАЬThe whole of Science, plus the whole of Government, plus the whole of the Nation.тАЭ
The Inaugural session of Global Bio-India Exhibition and International Conference was also addressed by Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Prof Ajay Kumar Sood; Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Dr Abhay Karandikar; Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Dr Rajesh Gokhale; and Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw┬╕ founder and CMD of Biocon Limited.
(Source: PIB)
