Gujarat
Dr Madhvi Joshi, sector specialist, Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission
Today, Gujarat is amongst the top five biotech destinations in India. The state intends to promote biotechnology sector by building appropriate image, encouraging entrepreneurship, strengthening organizational colorations and forecasting business partnerships. For facilitating the development of biotechnology in the State, Government of Gujarat has constituted Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission, under the aegis of Department of Science and Technology.
Over a period of time, Biotechnology companies in Gujarat have increased exponentially. As per GSBTM annual survey conducted, out of a total 151 companies in Biotech and allied areas in Gujarat, 43 percent are in Agriculture Biotechnology, 25 percent in Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Biotechnology, 17 percent in Bio-services, 9 percent in Industrial Biotechnology companies, 4 percent in Environmental biotechnology, 1 percent in Bioinformatics and 1 percent are in Food Biotechnology has been contributed. Almost 50 percent of the companies are located in Ahmedabad followed by 21 percent companies located around Vadodara making them major clusters of biotechnology industries.
Total valuation of Biotechnology sector in Gujarat is Rs 4000 crore for the year 2013-14. Of which, 46 percent is contributed by the Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare sector, followed by Agriculture Biotechnology which contributes 21 percent and the rest is contributed by other sectors like Industrial biotechnology, Bio-services, Environmental Biotechnology, Food Biotechnology and Bioinformatics.
Future Strategy for Biotechnology development in the state
Up till now major milestones have been developing Biotechnology policy in state, establishing state level organizational mechanism for addressing biotechnology development, state supported and funded programs for holistic development of biotechnology, independent of DBT programs, creating specific research and business related infrastructure, widening base of biotechnology research, popularizing and developing modern high end technologies, stimulating entrepreneurship and biotech business and investments.
GSBTM has developed long term strategy for growth and development of Biotech business. It includes support for research, technology development, technocommercialization, venture support, creating industry ready manpower, fostering international and national partnerships with specific program approach. The new draft policy for the biotechnology sector for state has been prepared and is advance stage of pipeline.
