Biotech commission mooted

Assocham Biotechnology Council has urged the government to set up a biotechnology regulatory commission as the single window mechanism for biotechnology policy and regulation.

In a note submitted to the biotechnology department, Assocham has asked for creation of an enabling environment for biotechnologists in publicly funded institutions to become "biotechnopreneurs".

This could be done by permitting them to hold sweat equity in private companies.

"Assocham believes that rich scientists create rich India," chamber president Mahendra K Sanghi said.

"We should starting national institutions of biotechnology on the same pattern as IITs. This would help link industry to academia," he said.

Assocham has also called for allowing biotech industry to utilise the facilities, infrastructure and human resources of publicly funded institutions on attractive terms besides encouraging joint research and development programmes.

Patent offices should be modernised urgently to give the necessary support to biotechnology-related intellectual property rights.

Recognising the development of secondary agro-industries at the village level, it is essential to ensure that people take advantage of biotechnology to add value to agriculture crops.

The maximum amount of funding of Rs 50 lakh, allowed under Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI) Phase-I, to promote small and medium size entrepreneurs in biotechnology, was highly inadequate. This amount should be hiked at least Rs 1 crore.