Punjab to invite players to set up life sciences park

The Punjab government on Thursday said it has decided to invite global key players for developing a life sciences park at Mohali for which the department of science, technology and environment has kick-started the process.

A state-of-the-art life sciences park spread over 80 acres is being developed with a series of consultations with the government departments, biotechnology industry, universities and research institutions, a state government release said.

Presiding over a meeting of the prominent universities and institutes here, Principal Secretary, Science and Technology, R K Verma said the park would be strategically co-located in Knowledge City Mohali, which houses first-of-its kind Agri-Food Biotechnology Cluster in the country, including the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), the Center of Innovative and Applied Bio processing (CIAB), the Punjab Biotechnology Incubator and other reputed institutions.

Verma further apprised the participants that the Punjab State Biotech Corporation, the nodal agency for the development of the biotechnology sector in the state, has engaged Ernst and Young, a leading consulting firm, as project management consultant to assist the state in the development of the park.

The park will cater to diverse sectors of biotechnology, including Bio Agri, Bio Pharma, Bio Industry, Bio Energy and Bio Services.

Besides, it will also accelerate the development of the biotechnology sector in the state, attracting investment, creating jobs and positioning the state as a biotechnology hub, the release said.