MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OCEAN DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAPIL SIBAL)
(a) Yes Sir. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India has received a proposal from the
KINFRA for setting up of a Biotechnology Incubator Centre at Kerala Biotechnology Park.
(b) The Biotech Incubator Centre would be set up for bioprocess and product development, pilot scale
facility for commercialisation of medicinal and therapeutic products. It would create a platform for
entrepreneurship development through partnership building with the innovators from academia, R&D labs and
industry. It is further proposed to create integrated facilities for micropropagation of plants,
multiplication of plant cell suspension cultures in bioreactors and extraction of value added products from
plants/cells. For catalyzing exports, an analytical laboratory and a toxicity testing facility are also
envisaged to facilitate characterization of the bioproducts as per the international guidelines. In
addition, the park would provide facilities for production of recombinant therapeutics and specialized
diagnostic reagents such as monoclonal antibodies, recombinant peptides, antigens etc., the requirement of
which is presently met through imports.
(c) & (d) The proposal has been discussed by Expert Committee on Biotech Parks to evaluate projects on
`Setting up Biotechnology Park(s) and Biotechnology Incubators etc.` on 25.10.2004 and was recommended for
setting up of: (i) Bioprocessing and scale up facility; (ii) Micro-propagation facility; (iii) Plant extraction facility; (iv) Analytical laboratory facility; and (v) Utility support and design engineering and
project supervision.
(e) The Committee has recommended the proposal for assistance and Government of India would support the same
based on the approval by the Planning Commission and sufficient availability of funds.
