Biotech park in Solan on cards

Tribune News Se rvice

Shimla, May 17

In its bid to encash its biodiversity, the state government is planning set up a bio-tech park in Solan district to make Himachal as a globally competitive destination for development of Biotechnology (BT) products, processes and services.

The state seeks industrial houses’ participation in agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture, medicine, environment, biodiversity conservation and utilisation and bio-industrial development in the state.

As per an official note here today, Himachal seeks to promote BT-based industries to harness this potential as planned in its Bio Technology Policy 2014.

Beside this, the state government is creating a pool of skilled human resources in BT with active support for research and development being carried in the BT institutions in the state.

Himachal is an ideal destination to invest in biotechnology-based industries. The state is endowed with rich plant, animal and microbial biodiversity. There are many rare plants, particularly in upper reaches of the Himalayas, which have immense medicinal properties for use in the pharmaceutical industry, the note said.

The biotechnology park is being set up at Aduwal in Nalagarh (Solan). Biotechnology parks and BT Industrial cluster are being proposed in association with the private sector to boost biotechnology-based ventures in Solan and Sirmaur districts.

A task force has already been constituted to advise the state government on making biotechnology-related policies and implementing them, the note said.