Uttaranchal launches focussed initiatives in biotechnology

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) Aiming at becoming a leading player in agri-biotechnology in the country by 2014, Uttaranchal has launched a number of initiatives to achieve the objective.

The state government is establishing a world class Bio-IT park in 500 acres of land abutting the National Highway-87 near Pant Nagar.

The work on the project was in full swing and it will be completed soon, State Chief Secertary A Ramachandran said here.

The proposed park will integrate resources and provide among others a focussed institutional set up for commercial growth of bio-technology and bio-informatics.

Other infrastructure for housing state-of-art facilities and to facilitate research and experimentation in the field are also being developed, said Mr Chandran.

He said these initiatives had been launched in view of the fact that bio-technology was poised to make significant contribution in agriculutre, human and animal health care, environment management and process industries.

A MoU has already been sighed between Rabo India Finance Company, Infrastructure Development Finance Company and the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology for pursuing initiatives in the sphere of research in food and agriculture sectors.

A high-level Biotechnology Board headed by the state,Chief Minister has also been set up.

The state is aiming to be a knowledge power house for plant bio-technology. It is establishing research and development institutions to scientifically use the enormous herbal and medicinal plant wealth and promote neutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.

It is also providing necessary education and training facilities for creation of a large pool of multi-skilled, technically competent manpower for the state-of-the-art research institutions.

Units coming up in the bio-technology sector, including research and design units, are being accorded industry status and the provisions made for the IT sector shall be made applicable to them as well, said Mr Chandran.

The government was focussing on converting the state's biowealth into economic wealth to fuel industrial growth, he said.

A Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Export Zone has also been set covering seven districts of the state and specialised Herbal Parks are soon coming up, he added.

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