Chennai / New Delhi, Sep 7 (FN Bureau) Dr. Alka Sharma, Scientist and Senior Adviser Department of Biotechnology has said that Biology will steer the next technology revolution in the world similar to the IT revolution. Speaking at a workshop for journalists on BioE3 Policy: Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment organised by Press Information Bureau, Chennai, on Friday, she said the Union cabinet on the August 24 approved the policy which would enable bio-based processes for clean, green and prosperous India and set a bio-revolution in the next 30 years.
Explaining the need for the policy, she said the unsustainable pattern of material consumption, resource utilization and waste generation has led climate change related problems such as burning forests, melting glaciers and a drastic decline in biodiversity, according to a PIB release. Pointing to waste generation, she said plastic waste is a huge problem, out of 8.7 tonnes of plastic waste produced between 1950 and 2021 only 11% has been recycled which is making out planet unsustainable. These challenges are being addressed by the BioE3 policy by harnessing the power of high performance biomanufacturing. Stating that the policy was formulated after wide ranging consultation with all stakeholders, Dr Alka Sharma said it is aligned with the Union Budget 2023-2024 emphasis on green growth and the Prime Minister’s vision of net zero carbon emission.
She said one of the overarching approaches is to set a path towards bio-based chemical from petro-based chemicals to make out planet sustainable. Listing the salient features of the policy Dr Sharma said focus on Biomanufacturing would be on six sectors including Bio-based chemicals and enzymes, functional foods and smart proteins, precision biotherapeutics, climate resilient agriculture besides carbon capture and its utilization, futuristic marine and space research. Bio-Enablers including Bio-Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hubs, Biomanufacturing Hubs and Bio-foundries will be set up nation-wide to augment discovery and translational research across the six sectoral verticals prioritized under biomanufacturing initiative. These cross- cutting Bio enablers will be used for bridging the gap between ‘lab-to-pilot’ and ‘pre-commercial’ scale manufacturing of commercially viable bio-based products, she said .