Centre will consider Rs 100 crore bio-safety lab for Kerala: Harsh Vardhan

Bio-technology (BT) sector is expected to reach $100 crore in the next decade; India to be third-largest player by 2025

Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan today said the Centre would actively consider Kerala government’s request for setting up a Rs 100-crore dedicated bio-safety lab for the study of virus.

“It is the government’s responsibility to ensure proper public health and to safeguard public interest. As soon as I return to Delhi, a feasibility study for setting up the bio-safety lab would be examined,” Harsh Vardhan said.

The Union Minister and Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy were both present here on the occasion of dedicating Phase-I of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) Bio-Innovation Centre (BIC) at the Kinfra Film and Video Park at Kazhakootam near Thiruvananthapuram.  

He said the country’s bio-technology sector with an annual 70 per cent growth was expected to clock $100 billion revenue in the next 10 years. By 2025, India is set to be the third biggest global player in the field of bio-technology unveiling new innovative vaccines for prevention of diseases.

Meanwhile, Chandy, speaking on the need for a virus testing facility in the state, said, “A bio-safety lab would be beneficial not just for Kerala but for the entire south India. Disease diagnostics and testing is highly important as the state plays host to migratory birds and other animal species.”

He recalled the active role played by RGCB in providing diagnostics services when Kerala was hit by an epidemic recently, adding the testing of samples from Kerala was mostly being done at labs in Pune and Bhopal.

RGCB director M Radhakrishna Pillai said they planned to set up a 75-bed facility with the help of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College’s Regional Cancer Centre in Phase  II of the BIC Aakulam centre.

The Phase-I facility, spread over 50,000 sft, has advanced platforms for studying the next generation genetic sequencing, high-end bio-imaging as well as a state-of-the-art molecular diagnostics facility for serving Kerala and neighbouring states.

The facility also signed an MoU with the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment enabling the Kottayam-based Srinivasa Ramanujam Institute for taking up basic sciences research at its facility.