Uttar Pradesh

Dr Prahlad K Seth, chief executive, ITRC, Biotechnology Park, Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh has significant strength in the field of biotechnology as R&D work is being undertaken in a number of CSIR and ICAR Institutes spread widely across the State. There are about five CSIR Institutes and ICAR has setup seven Institutes along with one Deemed University, two National Bureaux, one Directorate and 68 KVKs across the State. Lucknow itself has four CSIR labs namely, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) and National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and three ICAR labs, namely Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR), Central Institute of Sub-tropical Horticulture (CISH), and National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR). Because of this, Lucknow was declared as Biotechnology City during 89th Annual Session of the Indian Science Congress. A Biotech Park Lucknow was setup jointly by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and Department of Science & Technology, Government of Uttar Pradesh, which is presently housing approximately 18 biotech startups.

Key initiatives
The State Government recognizes the significance of applications of biotechnology for its growth and economic development. It has brought out a Biotech Policy in 2004 which has been revised and the new biotech policy provides a number of incentives and proposes to set up centers of excellence, Biotech Parks and Biocenters across the State. The State has also constituted a Vision Group for the development of Biotechnology in the State of Uttar Pradesh. The recommendations of Vision Group are in process of implementation. The State is prepared to accept opportunities to introduce "value added" or "enhanced" crops with increased yields and nutritional value, improved resistance to diseases and pests, tolerance to abiotic stresses, reduced crop maturation time and longer shelf life.

Soon the state government will be starting the Bio-entrepreneurship Program along with the ABLE to provide hands-on training and guidance to the biotechnology students to setup a startup within the state with perspective business program.
At present, the allocated budget for the development of biotechnology is being sanctioned along with the budget of Council of Science & Technology, UP and a sum of Rs 1.50 crore is assigned for carrying out the activities of the State in the area of biotechnology.

On the basis of the recommendations made by the Vision Group for the Development of Biotechnology in the State of Uttar Pradesh, a total of Rs 20 crore has been asked by the government (a total of Rs 100 crore in 5 years) for implementations of the various programs in the area of biotechnology.
There is no dedicated institute in the field of biotechnology in the State. The State proposes to expand Biotech Park to serve the rural sector and therefore proposes to setup five regional centers, one Industrial Biotech Park and a National Biotechnology Translational Research Institute in the state.