The Hindu Business Line : Biotech seeks STPI-like prop to boost growth

`We must make the pitch for weaning back talent to India, by creating the environment for biotech professionals... ' Sector should look at boosting agriculture: Chidambaram

FUTURE OF BIO: The Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, and the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy, at the inauguration of Bangalore Bio 2007 at the Bangalore International Exibition centre on Thursday. — G.R.N. Somashekar

Bangalore June 7 The biotechnology industry, which looks up to the infotech sector for inspiration, has sought a Software Technology Parks of India-like single-window prop for its growth and extension of these benefits up to 2020.

Also needed are biotech `IITs' to churn out the much-needed bio-manpower, said Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CEO of Biocon Ltd, at the inauguration of the seventh annual Bangalore Bio here on Thursday.

Speaking in the presence of the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, she said the biotech sector, which touched $2 billion turnover (nearly Rs 9,000 crore) in 2006-07, needed the same kind of support and incentives as the STPI scheme gave the IT industry.

STPI model

The industry is at a critical stage and "we are looking at the STPI model that the IT industry benefited so much from. We also have to look at models and special institutes like IITs. ABLE (the Association of Biotechnology-led Enterprises) has suggested Indian institutes of biotechnology" for the country's next emerging knowledge sector, Ms Mazumdar-Shaw said.

Mr Chidambaram said the biotech sector should look at boosting agriculture — currently limited to cotton — and averting foodgrain imports. Productivity in wheat, paddy, pulses and oilseeds had fallen and needed a boost. "What was done with [Bt] cotton should be done in wheat." While experts should address concerns over genetic engineering, the Government would address early stage funding where necessary, he said, without elaborating.

"We must make the pitch for weaning back talent to India," by creating the environment for biotech professionals, Mr Chidambaram said.

New courses

Apart from an industry-backed biotech finishing school for life sciences graduates, the Karnataka Government, jointly with Australia's Deakin University, is starting a post-graduate and PhD centre in biotechnology.

The Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy, suggested that a percentage of IT export revenue should be set apart as `IT and BT infrastructure fund'. He handed over the work order for phases 2 and 3 of the biotech park, Bangalore Helix, to the consortium of Alexandria Real Estate Equities of the US and TCG Group.

Mr M.N. Vidyashankar, Principal Secretary, IT, Biotechnology, said the phase 1 of the 106-acre park would be ready by June-end.

The three-day expo and conference event focussing on biotech innovation is organised by the Karnataka Government's Vision Group on Biotechnology.