Minister says time has come for defining “Bio-vision” for Bharat
Elite institutions are consolidating their efforts to impact the biotech R&D ecosystem, Minister of State for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said of India’s Biotech Ecosystem at a BRIC meeting.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that a new Apex Autonomous Society called Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) will fulfil Vision for Atma Nirbhar Bharat in areas like healthcare, food and energy needs by scaling biotech research and innovation.
Addressing the first-ever meeting of the BRIC Society after its registration on 10 Nov 2023 after getting the Cabinet approval, the Minister said on 2 Dec that time has come for defining “Bio-vision” for Bharat.
Dr Jitendra Singh informed that Indian Bio-economy recorded 13 times increase in the last ten years.
Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology is functioning as the nodal agency for promotion of Biotechnology in the country.
It was accorded the Cabinet approval for rationalization of its 14 Autonomous Institutions (AIs) by subsuming them under one Apex Autonomous Society viz. Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), for centralized and unified governance to maximize impact of biotech research across the country.
He expressed hope that BRIC will prospectively enrich India’s progress in every front including economy and employment.
The Minister said, as accomplished institution-builders, he would like to seek their views for defining the Bio-Vision for Bharat in this significant meeting, as they are supposed to bring in tremendous value to this noble mission.
Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed out that this is one of the first Departments in the Indian Government to have successfully executed “Rationalization of Autonomous Bodies” for process and performance enhancement of its Autonomous bodies.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, some of the significant changes that will be driven by BRIC include that each of the 14 subsumed BRIC Institutions will maintain their distinct research mandates, governed by one Governing Body, at BRIC.
“Institutes would be allowed utilization of institutional lab space, not exceeding one third, for researchers from outside DBT institutes and their collaborators (from industry or other institutes) to carry out R&D for start-ups emerging out of institutional research,” he said.
The Minister also underlined that BRIC and its Institutes can engage in public-private research partnerships and receive endowments including funds from non-Governmental resources for research-related activities. Fiinews.com
