Reference:

• Andhra Pradesh’s Health Minister, Y. Satya Kumar, met Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh and demanded greater collaboration in the field of biotechnology.

Biotechnology

• Biotechnology is the science of using living organisms, cells, and biomolecules to develop new technologies and products for applications in medicine, agriculture, industrial processes, and environmental conservation.
• The term was coined in 1919 by Károly Ereky (1878–1952), who is regarded as the "Father of Biotechnology."
• Prof. V.L. Chopra is considered the Father of Biotechnology in India for his pivotal role in increasing wheat production in the country.
• Interdisciplinary Field: Combines biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Applications of Biotechnology:

• Medical: Disease diagnosis, treatment, and drug development.
• Agriculture: Crop improvement, pest resistance.
• Industrial Processes: Biofuels, biochemicals.
• Environmental Conservation: Pollution control, waste management.

Types of Biotechnology:

• Green Biotechnology: Agricultural and food production.
• Red Biotechnology: Medical and healthcare applications.
• White Biotechnology: Industrial processes.
• Blue Biotechnology: Marine and aquatic resource utilization.

Indian Biotechnology Sector

• India’s bioeconomy has grown sixteen-fold, from 10billion(2014)to10billion(2014)to165.7 billion (2024).
• Contributes 4.25% to GDP, with a 17.9% CAGR over the last four years.
• Target: Reach $300 billion by 2030, positioning India as a global biotech leader.

Government Initiatives & Key Programs

1. BioE3 Policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment & Employment)

• Approved: 24 August 2024 by the Union Cabinet.
• Objective: Transform India into a global biotech hub by promoting bio-manufacturing and addressing economy, environment, and employment.

2. Achievements in Pharma Sector

Global Pharmacy Hub:

• 3rd largest in pharmaceutical production by volume.
• 14th largest by value.

COVID-19 Innovations:

• Developed the world’s first DNA vaccine (ZyCoV-D).
• Produces 65% of global vaccines, benefiting low- and middle-income countries.
• Make in India: Reduced dependence on imported APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients).
• Indigenous HPV Vaccine: Under development for cervical cancer prevention.
• Global Impact: 1 in 3 pills consumed worldwide is made in India.

3. Bio-Agriculture

Climate-Smart Crops:

• Drought-tolerant chickpea variety (Satvik-NC 9).
• Genome-edited rice (DEP1-MTU1010).
• Genotyping Arrays:
• IndRA (Rice), IndCA (Chickpea) for DNA fingerprinting.

Bio-Control:

• Myrothecium verrucaria-based nano-formulation for powdery mildew control.
• Kisan Kavach: Pesticide-resistant protective suits for farmers.

4. Biotech-KISAN (Krishi Innovation Science Application Network)

• Hub-and-Spoke Model for farmer-scientist partnerships.
• Active in 115 aspirational districts.

State-wise Impact:

• Chhattisgarh: 40-50% income increase for 2,173 farmers via biofortified rice.
• West Bengal: 37,552 farmers trained; 14 FPOs & 134 FIGs formed.
• Jharkhand: 69-100% growth in cocoon & compost production.
• Meghalaya-Sikkim: 18-20% higher crop yield, 50% pest reduction.

5. Bio-Energy

• Ethanol Blending: Increased from 1.53% (2014) to 15% (2024).
• Target: 20% blending by 2025.

Achievements:

• Reduced crude oil imports by 173 million metric tonnes (MMT).
• Saved ₹99,014 crore in forex.
• Cut 519 MMT CO₂ emissions.
• Generated ₹87,558 crore for farmers.

Fuel Availability:

• E100 at 400+ outlets.
• E20 at 15,600+ fuel stations.
• (Note: Bio-energy is a form of renewable energy derived from recently living organic matter, used for transport fuel, heat, power, and products. Also known as biomass.)
• 6. BIRAC Initiatives for Biotech Innovation
• Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) supports startups through:
• 95 bio-incubation centers.

Key Schemes:

• Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG): ₹50 lakh (18 months), supported 1,000 innovators.
• Seed Fund: ₹30 lakh equity for proof-of-concept startups.
• LEAP Fund: ₹1 crore for commercialization.
• JanCare-AMRUT Grand Challenge: Funded 89 digital health innovations in AI, ML, telemedicine, and blockchain.