Punjab to get a biotech project

Punjab is soon going to become a major investment destination for the companies in the field of science and technology.

The state would very shortly declare a state-of-the-art and first-of-its-kind bio-technology project in the country in the vicinity of Chandigarh, in collaboration with the ministry of science and technology, Government of India.

Sources in the Punjab government told Business Standard that the state govrnment would facilitate the land for the project and the funding would be done through the ministry of science and technology, and the corporate players.

The state has proposed to put up a world class clusture of National Institutes pertaining to Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology, Agriculture-Technology and an Indian Institute of Science.

According to the source, the clusture approach would help in the interaction and the interdependence of various streams of Research and Development (R&D) located in differnt institues.

This would be a replication of the approach adopted in the developed counties of the world for the developemnt of science and technology for the welfare of the country.

The project would be announced shortly after the final discussions between Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

With the proposal of hi-tech science clusture, the state government has re-oriented its prior decision of setting up a Bio-Technology corridoor from Mohali to Derabassi.

The state government has also annulled the tripartite pact signed between Punjab State Council for Science and technology jointly with Beckons Industries Limited,Government of Punjab and Department of Bio-Technology Government of India, in March 2005.

As per the previous agreement, a society in the name of "Society for Biotechnology Incubator" (SBTI) was registered on July 8, 2005. The Governing Council of SBTI was constituted.

The Governing Council set up a Biotechnology Business Group under the chairmanship of D.S. Brar, Chief Executive Officer, Davix Management Services Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon to develop the action plan for operationalising the facilities of SBTI on sustainable basis.

An Expert Committee constituted by DBT-GOI under the chairmanship of Secretary DBT-GOI was to review the progress of the project and to advise on its developmental activities. The project was to come up at an area of 23 acre and the total cost of the project was estimated at Rs 1,093 lakh. The land was to be provided by the private partner.

Of late, the entire plan was reconsidered by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology. Now the state would facilitate the land and one of the renowned sceintist of India would be appionted the Director of the Institute. The Government of India would undertake the responsibility for the world class corporate participation in the project.

Altough the project would not have a direct impact on the progress of the region in terms of employment opportunities but the faculty and students would come to the institutes across India and that would really give an impetus to the developemnt of this region.