The Hindu Business Line : Gujarat to float global tenders for biotech park

THE Department of Science and Technology of the Gujarat Government has finalised plans to float global tenders to rope in a strategic partner for the proposed Rs 100-crore biotech park.

It is in the process of rolling out a Biotech Venture Fund and setting up of a Marine Biotech Park to expand the biotech base around Ahmedabad-Baroda region.

The Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Gujarat Government, Mr J. N. Singh, told Business Line that about 40 per cent of the country's pharmaceutical output is contributed by industries based in Gujarat, and the biotech drive is just a logical extension of tapping the biotech industry.

"Within 15 days, we plan to float global tenders inviting strategic partners for the proposed Rs 100-crore project planned under the public-private partnership model. While the Gujarat Government would contribute land and pump in Rs 30 crore, the Centre would support the project, and the rest would be through the strategic partner. The tender process and selection of the developer would be completed by April-May and phase I would be ready by December-end. This would then be complemented by phase II, another Rs 100-crore project," Mr Singh said.

A large section of the biotechnology industry is constituted by the spin-off of dedicated units of large diversified organisations such as Bio Arc Research Solutions of Alembic, Indus Biotherapeutics (Intas) and the Biotech division of Cadilla Pharma and Zydus Cadilla.

"We are also holding parleys with Roche and ICICI for possible investments," he explained.

The biotech park will be complemented by a Biotech Fund with a corpus of Rs 5 crore to be expanded to Rs 50 crore by the year-end.

"A Marine Biotech Institute and a park that would harness the power of the State's long coastline with the support of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research , are also on the anvil," he said.

"Though we have not yet become a favoured destination for the IT sector, the Gujarat Government has laid special emphasis on e-governance projects across multiple applications right from the State Secretariat and districts up to the gram panchayat level. Most e-governance projects are handled by TCS and BSNL is supporting them."

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