TN sets foot in biotech, another frontier area

After having established a strong base in the IT sector, Tamil Nadu is making strong moves to repeat the success in another frontier area- biotechnology. A Biotechnology Policy has been announced by the state government to provide a thrust to the rapid development of this sector.

A key initiative here is the decision to treat all biotech units undertaking commercial production as industry and would thus be eligible for all incentives to which industries are eligible. Power will be supplied to them by the TNEB at industrial tariff rates. The above facilities would be available based on approval/certification by the
TNBB.

The Bioinformatics units would be allowed to have FSI ( floor space index) norms on par with IT industries.

Some of the other key steps are:

Biovalleys: 

The government will facilitate the setting up of Biotechnology Enterprise Zones (Bio-Valleys) along the lines of Silicon Valley to exploit the bioresources of the State. Efforts will be made to encourage the establishment of different types of biotech entities consisting of research organisations, service providers, as well as companies which will commercialise the new products and processes. Efforts will also be made to create a network among these biotech entities to facilitate information and knowledge transfer.

Also, 4 biotech parks and a Bioinformatics and Genomics Centre will be established, each of which would aim at leveraging the bioresources of the agro-ecological zones of Tamil Nadu. These five entities will be the hub of the Biotechnology Enterprise Zone.

These are:

i) Biotechnology Incubator Park near Chennai

This will be set up at a cost of about Rs. 40 crores by Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) in association with American universities which have experience in managing such Incubator Parks successfully. The project will be structured on a commercial format, the details of which will be worked out by TIDCO. This Incubator Park will mainly focus on agriculture, medical, environment and industrial biotechnology opportunities. The Park will provide centralised services to a large number of individual enterprises to develop and commercialise products and patents.

ii) Women's Biotechnology Park, Kelambakkam

The Women's Biotechnology Park at Kelambakkam near Chennai will continue to receive support from the Government. This Park will mainly focus on microenterprise and traditional biotechnologies Efforts will be made to achieve the full potential of this Park in terms of enterprise development and employment.

III. Medicinal Plants Biotechnology Park

A Medicinal Plants Biotechnology Park will be set up near Madurai. This Park will focus on Medicinal Plants and opportunities for sourcing of raw materials in a sustainable manner and value addition to scientifically tested herbal medicines. This Park will also provide facilities for growth of traditional medicinal systems. This Park will be established in the Industrial Park promoted by State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd. (SIPCOT) near Kodaikanal Road where 380 acres of land have already been acquired and developed. TIDCO and SIPCOT will jointly work on commercialising this project.

iv. Marine Biotechnology Park

Marine Biotechnology Park will be set up in the Mandapam area for promoting ecologically sustainable Marine Biotechnology Enterprises including the use of sea weeds, production of oysters, mussels, yeels, crabs and other sea food items. Emphasis will also be given on conservation and regeneration of mangroves and sea grass and organisation of low external input sustainable aquaculture (LEISA). The Marine Biotechnology Park will function in close coordination with the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Trust.

(v) Bioinformatics and Genomics Centre (BGC)

This will be located in the Tidel Park, Chennai. This Centre will explore the Indian genetic pool, exploit the germplasm base available and leverage on the existing pool of Indian bioinformatic scientists and low cost local software skills. The proposed BGC will also facilitate research and enable bioentrepreneurs to commercialise their research findings, validate products, contract sequence services and provide other services like training. This Centre will function on a commercial basis. The adequate bandwidth available in the Tidel Park will be exploited for the purpose. TIDCO will facilitate its creation.

The Government will also initiate an exercise to take a detailed inventory of the bioresources within Tamil Nadu with the help and possible grant from National Bioresources Board. The service of the Bioinformatics and Genomics Centre would be used to make available this information through database.