Gandhinagar, June 28 (IANS). A new report by the Gujarat State Institute for Transformation (GRTI) released on Sunday presents an ambitious roadmap to make Gujarat India’s leading biotechnology and biomanufacturing hub by 2030. The report places particular emphasis on creating a skilled workforce, expanding specialized education and strengthening industry-based training.
The report titled ‘Gujarat Bio-Economy 2030 Strategic Skill Architecture and Workforce Development’ said India’s bio-economy is projected to grow from around Rs 10 billion in 2014 to over Rs 150 billion in 2024.
Supported by the Centre’s policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment), the country has set a target of creating a bio-economy of Rs 300 billion by the end of the decade, in which Gujarat is expected to play a key role.
According to the report, Gujarat is well-positioned to meet that target as it accounts for about 40 percent of India’s pharmaceutical production and is one of the leading chemical manufacturing centers in the country.
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state aims to strengthen its position in biotechnology and biomanufacturing by leveraging its existing industrial base and expanding its skilled talent pool,” an official said.
The national bio-economy target is based on expected growth in both domestic demand and exports, the report said. In this, biopharma, bio-industrial manufacturing and bio-agriculture have been identified as the main drivers of future growth.
Biopharma, which contributes about 35 per cent to the sector, is moving ahead with vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
India currently supplies more than 35 percent of global vaccine demand and the report says this capacity is expected to increase further with advances in technology such as viral vectors.
Bio-industrial segment which constitutes 47 percent of this sector. This includes the increasing use of bio-based chemicals and the country’s ethanol blending program, which achieved its 20 percent target ahead of schedule. Due to this the demand for fermentation technology specialists is increasing.
The report said that due to climate change, there is an acceleration in the adoption of technologies like CRISPR-based crops and bio-fertilizers, which are moving from research labs to farming fields.
The BIOE3 policy places special emphasis on creating a skilled workforce for high-performance biomanufacturing.
According to the policy, with the presence of right talent and supporting infrastructure, the sector will be able to maximize its production capacity.
The report also highlights Gujarat’s existing strengths, including its manufacturing ecosystem, research institutions, progressive policy framework, 1,600 km of coastline and diverse agricultural base.
It said that these factors give the state a strong base to become a major player in the global bio-economy.
Referring to the Gujarat State Biotechnology Policy 2022-27, the report said the state intends to expand beyond large-scale production of generic drugs to the development of innovative biologics, reflecting a major shift from traditional industrial manufacturing to a knowledge-driven bio-economy.
The report identifies the development of a strong local talent ecosystem as one of the state’s biggest opportunities. “Investing in specialized education and skills training can reduce migration of skilled professionals, reduce the need for workforce retraining, and support sustainable industrial growth,” it says.
GRIT examined 23 institutions across Gujarat offering biotechnology and related programs.
The study concluded that the state already has a strong educational foundation capable of producing quality biotechnology professionals, while also identifying opportunities to further align the academic curriculum with the needs of the emerging industry so that graduates are better prepared for future employment in the sector.
–IANS
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