Encouraging biotech industries to give a thrust to agri-biotechnology, S R Patil, Minister for IT, BT and ST, said on Wednesday that the government was planning to release Rs 6.5 crore to University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, for research on agri-biotech. 

Speaking after announcing the Bangalore India Bio 2015, from February 9 to 11, 2015, Patil said the government was keen on developing lab-to-land initiative in promoting agri-biotech. In addition, the government has allocated Rs 8.5 crore to Horticultural University in Bagalkot for the same. Biotechnology brings in a revenue of 4 billion dollars to the country annually, out of which Karnataka contributes 26 per cent, he said.

The Central government has agreed to increase the amount of scholarships for those in biotechnology finishing schools to  Rs 10,000, he added. 

Calling upon enthusiasts to actively participate in the programme, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson of Karnataka’s Vision Group on Biotechnology and CMD of Biocon Limited, said there was enormous opportunity for genomic research in the country that needed to be harnessed. 

“We have global scale research services. The Mars Orbiter Mission has shown that India stands for high science at low cost,” she said.

The Bangalore India Biocon will have an international trade show, lectures, bio excellence awards and bio quiz among other programmes. Also, this is the 15th edition of the conference, where secretaries’ conclave will also be held, for which senior bureaucrats will come together on ‘aligning policies for building a biotech nation’. 

The event is expected to have 25 conference sessions, 100 exhibitors and participants from nearly 20 countries. The conference will deliberate on issues pertaining to agri-biotech, renewable energy, environmental sustainability, etc.