Srinagar: The Union Ministry of Science and Technology has two established biotechnological parks one at Kathua in Jammu region and the other in Handwara North Kashmir.
According to the officials the total cost of these projects is 8466.00 crores. “These biotech parks stand as pillars of innovation, economic growth, and employment generation in the region,” they said.
The Kathua Biotech Park, with an allocation of 4200 crores, and the Handwara Biotech Park, receiving 4266.00 crores in funding, are coming up as institutions of advanced biotechnological research, development, and entrepreneurship, the officials said, adding that these parks are part of the Central Government’s broader initiative to accelerate the growth of the biotechnology sector by promoting the development of innovative technologies, infrastructure, human resources, and industry.
While the parks have been instrumental in driving scientific advancements, they have also emerged as game-changers in addressing unemployment and uplifting the socio-economic landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated a biotech start-up expo at the Kathua Biotech Park earlier last week. Titled ‘Emerging Startup Trends in North India,’ the expo showcased 25 start-ups from various regions, emphasizing the region’s commitment to becoming a hub for budding entrepreneurs.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of Science and Technology, who had officially opened the facility as North India’s first biotech park in May 2022, emphasized the abundant biodiversity of the Jammu region. He underscored its capacity to nurture the growth of biotech start-ups.
Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), underlined the development of the Kathua Biotech Park as a start-up hub, offering competitive opportunities to entrepreneurs from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
The expo, which featured six women entrepreneurs, aimed to inspire the youth to pursue entrepreneurship and explore the diverse opportunities offered by the biotech sector beyond traditional domains.
Facilities such as a Biotechnology Incubation Centre (BIC), Pilot Scale Units, Micro Propagation Facility, Aromatic Plant Extraction Units, and a Central Instrumentations and Analytical Facility continue to be key features of these established installations.
Government departments and institutions, including the Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture, Health and Medical Education, and Forests, along with various universities, remain major stakeholders in these biotech parks.
Originally conceptualized as a collaborative effort between the central and state governments in 2018, with a financial distribution of 70-30, the initiatives encountered a hiatus of more than two years due to a lack of funds. However, following the assumption of the LG administration, the projects regained momentum.
