Tamil Nadu seeks blueprint for biotech policy

Chennai: With biotechnology being one of the key sectors identified by the Union government as part of ‘Make in India’ effort and likelihood of getting increased focus in forthcoming budget, Tamil Nadu government has decided to give shape to its biotech policy, which Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa announced in 2014, by asking academia to send draft note highlighting the roadmap.

The government has reportedly sent circulars to all the leading institutions in the state dealing with biotechnology and research. Confirming this to the Deccan Chronicle, Dr S. Elumalai, head, department of biotechnology, Madras University, said that he has received communication from the registrar’s office along with the government order on biotechnology policy. “I have held a meeting with the faculty members and am preparing a draft note”.

He lauded the TN government for showing great interest in promoting biotechnology. The state has huge potential with robust infrastructure capabilities like well connected ports and government proposing a bio-pharmaceutical SEZ in Krishnagiri district to promote research and development. Biotechnology also saw an investment of close to Rs 2,000 cr in the Global Investors Meet held last year.

However, the government can do much more. Biotechnology can deliver the next wave of technological change like information technology (IT) and nanotechnology. It can help people at grass-root level.

“For instance, the self help groups (SHGs) in Hosur in Krishnagiri district are undertaking the tissue culture for commercial cultivation of banana crop. This is one such example of the recent success story of the biotechnology expansion in Tamil Nadu. The same district is also emerging as one of the largest exporters of biotechnology products such as cut flowers, capsicum, coriander, mint leaves, rose flowers, tamarind pulp, mango pulp, tomato, beans, dairy and meat and semi finished pharma molecules to the western world.

“Likewise, biotechnology can be used by individual districts to meet its own needs. The coastal districts of Tamil Nadu should concentrate on the marine resources like algal, and aquaculture. For example, Dindigal can use it on horticulture like preservation and increasing the post harvest technology for the longer shelf life of fruits and vegetables.  Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram districts could adopt the groundnut, sugarcane, algal cultivation (like spirulina sp and dunaliella salina) and floriculture related activities. Tirunelveli, Salem and Coimbatore districts could adopt better biotechnological practices of medicinal and aromatic plants. The Cauvery delta area could adopt more biotechnological applications with reference to the paddy related value addition activities.

In general, we need to translate the whole traditional knowledge into the scientific validation especially medicinal plants”, he said and added that Karnataka, Punjab, UP, Haryana and Gujarat are doing very well.