Lok Sabha Question No. 2185 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-23
Subject: Research in Biotechnology
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Raja Amareshwara Naik, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Bhola Singh, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Sukanta Majumdar, Jayanta Kumar Roy

(a) & (b)

Yes,  Biotechnology  Industry  Research  Assistance  Council  (BIRAC)  has  been  established  by Government of India as a Public Sector Enterprise under Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in March,  2012  to  foster  and  nurture  the  Startup  Ecosystem  and  promoting  Academia  -Industry Collaboration in Biotechnology.

BIRAC, through its various funding schemes, supports all stages of product development right from  proof-of-concept  demonstration  to  product  commercialization.  The  schemes  support entrepreneurs,  start-ups,  Companies  and  academic  institutions,  to  work  on  research  ideas  that have  translational  potential.  The  details  of  Programs  undertaken  and  their  output  during the  last three years and the current year including funds allocated may please be seen at Annexure - A.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2185 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.09.2020

## Research in Biotechnology

2185. Shri Raja Amareshwara Naik:

Shri Vinod Kumar Sonkar:

Shri Bhola Singh:

Shrimati Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo:

Dr. Sukanta Majumdar:

Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy:

## Will the minister of SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state :

- a) whether the Government has set up Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council to promote Research and Development in Biotechnology;
- b) if so, the details thereof including funds allocated, R&D projects undertaken and their output during the last three years and the current year;
- c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government for the development of biotechnology as well as physical and human infrastructure in this sector;
- d) whether Biotechnology has varied applications and far reaching impact and implications in prominent  sectors and if so, the details thereof; and
- e) whether there is urgent need to formulate regulatory framework for Biotechnology sector at national level, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES

(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

The Department of Biotechnology has a major focus on promotion of Biotechnology through Research & Development and also in terms of Human resource and Infrastructure Development. The key areas of support are Research and Development, Demonstration, Product Development and Commercialization, Capacity building through Human  Resource Development and Infrastructure strengthening.

DBT's major  focus  is  on  building  Centre  of  Excellence  in  different  areas.  DBT  also  has  16 Autonomous  Institutions  under  its administrative control with  focus  on  promoting  and strengthening Biotechnology through national and international partnerships. The key activities supported under Human Resource and Infrastructure is enlisted at Annexure B.

## d)

Biotechnology  sector  is  recognized  as  the  key  driver  for  contributing  to  India's  $  5  Trillion economy  target  by  2024.  The  biotechnology  sector,  mainly  due  to  its  multi-disciplinary approach  holds  the  potential  to  provide  an  array  of  solutions  for  challenges  in  Health, Agriculture, Environment, Energy and Industrial Processes. This includes innovative solutions for  various  societal  challenges,  use  of  biosimilars  for  helping  millions  of  people  around  the world in battling life-threatening medical issues, development and manufacture of vaccines for nearly 60% of Global immunization.

Improved  crop  varieties  for  increased  production  and  providing  better  yields  to  the  farmers while  reducing  the  dependence  on  heavy  consumption  of  water  and  energy.  Industrial biotechnology  is  being  channeled  to  produce  biofuels  that  can  help  in  ensuring  cleaner environment. Biotechnology impacts each sector and the Biotechnology Sector in the country is growing rapidly.

## e)

The Biotechnology research and development activities involving use of r-DNA technology and/or  hazardous  microorganism  are  being  regulated  in  accordance  with  Rules  for  the manufacture, use,  import,  export  &  storage  of  hazardous  microorganisms,  GE  organisms  or cells,1989  of  the  Environment  Protection  Act,  1986.  The  Review  Committee  on  Genetic Manipulation  (RCGM)  established  under  the  Department  of  Biotechnology,  Ministry  of Science  and  Technology  to  monitor  the  safety  of  on-going  research  projects  and  activities (including  small  scale  field  trials,  import,  export  etc)  involving  genetically  engineered organisms.

*****

## Details of Activities supported by BIRAC and outcomes during last 3 years

## Annexure A

| Name of the program/ scheme   | Focus Area                                                                                 | Stakeholders                                                    |   Budget (in Crores) (2017- till date) | Impact                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| BioNEST                       | Incubation support via grant in aid/capital investment for a maximum of 5 years            | Academic institutions, Research institutes, existing incubators |                                  301   | 50 BioIncubators established across the country 549219 Sq.Ft. incubation space created 700+ incubates supported                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| BIG                           | Ideation to early stage. Milestone based funding for 18 months in the form of grant in Aid | Indian citizens, company/LLP                                    |                                  250   | • 8 BIG Partners engaged to implement the scheme • 125 new start ups incorporated through scheme support • More than 50 products/ technologies commercialized throughBIG support • More than 500 innovative ideas supported • More than 150 IPs have been filed • 75+ start-ups have raised followon funding |
| SITARE                        | Ideation to early stage. Support is in the form of award grant                             | Indian students                                                 |                                   13   | • Implemented through SITARE Partner- SRISTI, Ahmadabad • 64 SITARE-GYTI Awardees • 4 Start Ups • 20 IPs • 5 Residential Workshops • 170+ appreciation                                                                                                                                                       |
| E-YUVA                        | Pre-incubation, creating an entrepreneurial culture at University Level.                   | Undergraduate and post graduate students                        |                                   11.2 | • 5 Universities recognized as EYUVA Centres • 5-10 more centres being inducted • 30 Innovation Fellows                                                                                                                                                                                                      |

|           |                |                                     |      | • 8 Start Ups incorporated • 10 IPs filed                                                                                                                                                |
|-----------|----------------|-------------------------------------|------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SEED Fund | Equity funding | Start ups& SMEs                     | 29   | • 16 BioNEST Incubators engaged as SEEDFund Partners • 55+ start ups supported • Cumulative valuation of start • ups is more than 750 Cr.                                                |
| LEAP Fund | Equity funding | Start ups& SMEs                     | 24.5 | • 6 BioNEST Incubators engaged as LEAP Fund Partners • 10 start ups supported • More than 50% companies have been able to raise external source of funding from Angel, VC, other sources |
| ACEFund   | Equity Funding | Start Ups, SMEs and large companies | 62   | • Fund size:INR 150 crore • Number of ACE Daughter Funds:6 • CommittedinACE Daughter Funds: INR 82crores                                                                                 |

i4  (Intensifying  the  Impact  of  Industrial  Innovation)  programme supports  biotechnological product/technology  development  by  strengthening  R&D  capabilities  of  start-ups/  companies/Limited Liability  Partnerships  (LLPs).  The  programme  is  operated  through  two  schemes  based  on  the Technology Readiness Level (TRL):

- a. Small  Business  Innovation  Research  Initiative  (SBIRI): The  scheme  was  launched  in 2005  to  boost  Public-Private  Partnership  (PPP)  efforts  in  the  country  and  promotes  & facilitates companies to take their established proof of concepts (PoC) towards early stage validation.
- b. Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme(BIPP): BIPP is BIRACs Flagship 'Late Stage  Funding'  scheme.  It  is  a  public-private  partnership  scheme  that  promotes  innovative research  for  development  of  transformational  technologies/processes  in  the  Biotech  Sector. The  Scheme  serves  as  a  launch  pad  for  scaling  and  commercializing  high  risk  innovations through  cost  sharing  between  BIRAC  and  the  industry.  No  incremental  developmentis supported underBIPP.

Impact of SBIRI from 2017-till date:

| SBIRI                   | SBIRI    |
|-------------------------|----------|
| Calls Announced         | 10       |
| Projects Supported      | 122      |
| Funds Dispersed         | 20.54 Cr |
| Beneficiaries Supported | 144      |
| Products developed      | 21       |
| Products Commercialized | 15       |
| Patents Filed           | 28       |

Impact of BIPP from 2017-till date:

| BIPP                    | BIPP     |
|-------------------------|----------|
| Calls Announced         | 10       |
| Projects Supported      | 91       |
| Funds Dispersed         | 77.17 Cr |
| Beneficiaries Supported | 115      |
| Products developed      | 25       |
| Products Commercialized | 9        |
| Patents Filed           | 10       |

Promoting Academic Research Conversion to Enterprise (PACE) Scheme :  To  encourage/support academia  to  develop  technology/product  (up  to  PoC  stage)  and  its  subsequent  validation  by  an industrial partner.

Impact of PACE from 2017-till date:

| PACE                    | PACE     |
|-------------------------|----------|
| Projects Supported      | 104      |
| Funds Dispersed         | 32.06 Cr |
| Beneficiaries Supported | 118      |
| Products developed      | 4        |
| Products Commercialized | 1        |
| Patents Filed           | 6        |

SPARSH is Social Innovation program for Products: Affordable & Relevant to Societal Health aimed at  promoting the development of innovative solutions to  society's  most pressing social  problems through biotechnological approaches.  The  programme  has  already  developed  clusters  across  the  nation  on  six thematic areas 'Maternal and Child Health' 'Ageing and Health' 'Food and Nutrition' 'Agri-Tech' 'Combating Environmental Pollution' and 'Waste to Value'. Through these clusters spread across 14 SPARSH centres in 9 states from India, around 33 Social Innovators are graduated and 70 are currently enrolled.

Impact of SPARSH from 2017-till date:

| SPARSH                     | SPARSH                          |
|----------------------------|---------------------------------|
| Projects Supported         | 57                              |
| Beneficiaries Supported    | 133 including 70 SPARSH Fellows |
| Employment Generated       | 218                             |
| Patents Filed              | 15                              |
| SPARSH Centers Established | 14                              |
| New Enterprises created    | 20                              |
| Products Commercialized    | 8                               |

The details of the output for the last three years and the current year are as follows:

| Year           |   TRL-7 | TRL-8   | TRL-9   |   IP filed |
|----------------|---------|---------|---------|------------|
| 2017-2018      |      27 | 6       | 9       |         32 |
| 2018-2019      |      29 | 7       | 12      |         35 |
| 2019-2020      |      40 | 15      | 10      |         46 |
| 2020-2021 (Q1) |      11 | -       | -       |         17 |

- TRL-7- Product/Technology completes late stage validation
- TRL-8- Product/Technology completes all essential requirements for commercialization
- TRL-9- Product/technology commercialized (includes technologies out licensed)

## ANNEXURE B

- a. The Department has implemented integrated Human Resource Development Program in Biotechnology comprising Postgraduate Teaching Program, DBT-Junior Research Fellowship  Program,  DBT-  Research  Associateship  and  DBT-Biotechnology  industry Training  Program  (Apprenticeship)  for  skilled  and  trained  manpower.  Details  of  HRD Programs are as follows:
2. (i) DBT-Postgraduate  Teaching  Program: 72  courses  are  being  offered  and  4931 students were trained under this program in last three years.
3. (ii) DBT- Junior Research Fellowship Program (DBT-JRF ): Total 2976 students were supported  under  this  program  and  398  Fellows  completed  PhD  thesis  in  last  three years.
4. (iii) DBT-Research Associateship Program (DBT-RA): :  596  Research  Associate  were supported under this program in last three years
5. (iv) Biotech  Industrial  Training  Program  (BITP-Apprenticeship): :  596  Research Associate were supported under this program in last three years
- b. The Department has created and supported major high end infrastructure or facilities and also  nurtured  and  strengthened  existing  sophisticated  platforms  in  universities  and institutes  under  the Research  Resources  Service  Facilities  and  Platforms  (RRSFP) programme.

During  2018-19,  the  Department  introduced  the DBT-Scientific  Infrastructure  Access for  Harnessing  Academia  University  Research  Joint  Collaboration-  DBT-SAHAJ Infrastructure portal. A total of 46 major facilities are currently listed under the SAHAJ portal and 1, 39,386 users have utilized these facilities in two years.