Lok Sabha Question No. 3790 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-12
Subject: Schemes under BIRAC
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA

**GOVERNEMT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3790**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 12/08/2015**

**SCHEMES UNDER BIRAC**

3790. SHRIMATI KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

1. the details of the schemes functional under the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) along with their aims/objectives/targets and achievements, scheme-wise;
2. the details of the projects supported by each such scheme and the financial allocations made during each of the last three years and the current year, scheme-wise, project-wise;
3. the number of calls announced so far and the number of proposals received under the said schemes; and
4. the number of young entrepreneurs supported through the various schemes during the above period?

**ANSWER**

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES

(Y.S. CHOWDARY)

(a)& (b) Madam. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology and operates different funding schemes for innovation research.

The details of the schemes with their objectives, targets and achievements are as follows:

1. The **Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)** is meant to support and nurture high risk and novel concepts. This funding is for Discovery of Proof of Concept. Scheme is for potential entrepreneurs from Academia start up or an Incubatee who have an exciting idea which may be in the nascent and planning stage and there is an unmet need for mentorship and initial funding. 154 young entrepreneur have been supported. 22 individuals have established start-up companies. 20 new IP have been generated.

1. **Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI)** is for Discovery to early stage Innovation research. The aim is to strengthen those existing private industrial units whose product development is based on in-house innovative R&D, encourage other smaller businesses to increase their R&D capabilities and capacity, create opportunities for starting new technology-based or knowledge-based businesses by science entrepreneurs, stimulate technological innovation, increase private sector commercialisation derived from Government funded R&D.

A total of 194 projects have been supported under the scheme,and 12 products, 6 Proof-of-Concepts/Technologies & 5 IP were generated.

…2/-

-2 -

1. **Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP)** is a government partnership with Industries for support on a cost sharing basis for path-breaking research in frontier futuristic technology areas having major economic potential and making the Indian industry globally competitive. Support is provided for Discovery to late stage research and validation.

A total of 135 projects have been supported under the scheme and 9 products, 9 Proof-of-Concepts/Technologies& 27 IP were generated.

1. The **Contract Research Scheme (CRS)** facilitates the academia-industry interaction to take forward the research leads of Academic Universities and Research Institutes through validation and translation by industry.  14 industry and 16 academia collaboration have been supported.1 new IP was generated.

1. **Social Innovation Programme for Products Affordable & Relevant to Societal Health (SPARSH) –** Scheme aims to invest in ideas and innovations that improve health care of all Indians and provide affordable product development in social sector. The scheme was only started in 2014.

The details of the number of projects supported by each scheme and the financial allocations made during each of the last three years and the current year are follows:

**Details of the number of projects supported by each scheme and the financial allocations**

| **S.No.**   | **Name of theScheme**   | **Number of Projects**   | **Year-wise Financial Allocations (Rs. in crore)**   |             |             |                          |           |
|-------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|-------------|-------------|--------------------------|-----------|
|             |                         |                          | **2012-13**                                          | **2013-14** | **2014-15** | **2015-16 (upto5/8/15)** | **Total** |
| 1           | BIG                     | 154                      | -                                                    | 5.23        | 14.22       | 14.70                    | 34.15     |
| 2           | BIPP                    | 135                      | 47.36                                                | 33.51       | 36.43       | 3.77                     | 121.07    |
| 3           | SBIRI                   | 194                      | 12.68                                                | 9.84        | 9.47        | 5.05                     | 37.04     |
| 4           | CRS                     | 14                       | 1.10                                                 | 1.20        | 4.49        | 0.95                     | 7.74      |
| 5           | SPARSH                  | 14                       | -                                                    | -           | 1.41        | 0.30                     | 1.71      |

(c)  Total number of call/ announced and total number of proposals received for all schemes are as follows:

| **S.**  **No.**   | **Name of the Scheme**   | **Total Number of Calls**   | **Total Number of Proposals received**   |
|-------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| 1                 | BIG                      | 6                           | 1036                                     |
| 2                 | BIPP                     | 35                          | 820                                      |
| 3                 | SBIRI                    | 28                          | 1209                                     |
| 4                 | CRS                      | 7                           | 181                                      |
| 5                 | SPARSH                   | 2                           | 173                                      |
|                   | **Total**                | **78**                      | **3419**                                 |

Details of the projects supported under various schemes of BIRAC are available at http://birac.nic.in/desc\_new.php?id=145

(d)  A Total of 155 young entrepreneurs and 250 Start-ups and SMEs have been supported so far.

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