(a) whether the Government proposes to set up Food Bio-Processing Units in the country;
(b) if so, the locations identified and criteria adopted for such Units , State-wise;
(d) whether some States are deprived of such Units; and
(c) the benefits likely to be accrued as a result of setting up of these Units;
(e) if so, the reasons therefore?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR EARTH SCIENCES
(PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN)
(a) to (c) The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is in the process of setting up a Food Bio-
Processing Unit (FBPU) as part of an Agri-Food Biotechnology Cluster which also comprises of
National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) and Biotechnology Park. This cluster as a whole willbe a unique R&D facility with an inter-disciplinary approach reinforced by the synergy and co-location of the abovementioned three institutions and forward linkages with prospective
entrepreneurship. The FBPU is designed to link the R&D system with a production facility to serve as an incubator for start-ups. FBPU will not only facilitate the scale-up and process optimization of new food processing technologies developed by NABI or acquired through licensing from other sources within India and abroad but also provide industry linked services including quality testing & certification, consultancies and support to the start-up companies. The FBPU is being set up in the Knowledge City, Mohali, Punjab.
(d) & (e) No Sir. The setting up of FBPU is a R&D initiative which will be one of the three institutions being set up in the Agri-Food Cluster, Mohali. Being a National facility, the outcome from FBPU shall be available for benefit of the entire food bio processing sector of the country and not be confined to any region or location.