Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 15: The Department of Science and Technology is endeavouring to chart out futuristics roadmap for biotechnology, together with the UT Policy for Biotechnology.
In this regard, Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, at the moment chaired a complete evaluate assembly whereby senior officers introduced findings from their in depth research visits to India’s premier biotechnology clusters together with Genome Valley (Hyderabad), Guwahati Biotech Park and services at Lucknow, Vizag and Chandigarh.
The delegation comprising Special Secretary Reyaz Ahmed Beigh, Director Finance Madan Lal, Additional Secretary JKSTIC Neelam Khajuria, Additional Director Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed, Deputy Secretary Asif Chandel and others studied operational fashions, know-how incubation frameworks and industry-academia linkages at these established biotech hubs.
Deputy Secretary Dr. Abdul Khabir made an in depth presentation highlighting the globally finest practices and sector-specific alternatives for Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr. Shahid Iqbal directed for fast formulation of a complete J&Okay Biotechnology Policy, recognizing that the Union Territory sits on the confluence of extraordinary pure wealth and untapped scientific potential.
With over 6,500 plant species together with 200+ high-value medicinal and fragrant crops together with saffron, lavender, wild mushrooms, uncommon herbs and distinctive climatic zones from subtropical Jammu to alpine Kashmir, J&Okay possesses inherent benefits that stay underexploited in India’s quickly increasing $130 billion bio financial system, projected to attain $300 billion by 2030 underneath the nationwide BioE3 Policy.
The Secretary emphasised that the proposed coverage will strategically goal the agriculture biotechnology for crop enchancment and local weather resilience; pharmaceutical manufacturing leveraging J&Okay’s wealthy phytochemical biodiversity; meals processing and nutraceuticals from horticulture produce; dairy biotechnology for probiotic improvements; industrial enzyme manufacturing and environmental bioremediation for water our bodies like Dal and Wular lakes. The coverage framework will align with J&Okay’s present strengths whereas creating new worth chains in bio-manufacturing, transferring past uncooked materials export to high-margin biotech merchandise.
Critically addressing the youth employment problem, Dr. Shahid Iqbal advised a structured internship programme for biotechnology graduates from J&Okay establishments, creating direct pathways from tutorial coaching to industrial utility. This initiative responds to the hole between certified graduates and sector-relevant alternatives inside the UT.
The Department is operationalizing two DBT-funded Industrial Biotech Parks at Kathua (Jammu area) and Handwara (Kashmir area)-representing a mixed Government of India funding of Rs 84.66 crore-as Centres of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology. These services will transition from infrastructure property to lively innovation hubs supporting startup incubation, know-how commercialization and R&D in fermentation, enzyme know-how, natural extraction and analytical testing. The lately introduced funds outlay will activate these parks as magnets for scientific expertise and entrepreneurial capital.
The Secretary emphasised that biotechnology represents not merely a coverage sector however a transformative pathway-converting J&Okay’s biodiversity into biowealth, its scientific establishments into innovation engines and youth into a talented biotech workforce prepared for India’s bio-manufacturing century.