New Delhi: In a significant policy thrust, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, revealed that the Centre is actively exploring the development of an “eastern corridor” for biotechnology advancement, with states such as Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand expected to play key roles.
The move is part of India’s broader Bio-E3 policy, Biotechnology for Environment, Economy, and the eastern corridor focus comes at a time when a western corridor of biotech growth, anchored around Bengaluru and Hyderabad, has seen a concentration of incubators and startup clusters. The planned eastern expansion is expected to rebalance growth and tap into coastal and mineral-rich regions for biotech innovation, especially in oceanic and agricultural resources.
“We are open to collaboration. Odisha has a huge coastal area and can take the lead. We are encouraging them,” Dr. Singh said in an exclusive interview with Millennium Post, adding that state-level ‘Bio-E Cells’ will serve as nodal hubs to facilitate innovation.
The minister confirmed that financial and technical support will be extended to states ready to participate in the biotech mission. Assam and Gujarat have already initiated bio-e cells, with others, such as Odisha and Bengal, showing interest. The Bio-E Cells are envisioned as nodal institutions within each state, provided with land and administrative backing by the state governments. At the same time, the Centre will support them with infrastructure and expert personnel. The goal is to establish state-level biotech ecosystems that are agile, regionally tailored, and capable of attracting both startups and investors.