Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announces 75 “Amrit” Grants for Biotech initiatives involving StartUps

• ByStartupStory     |    August 23, 2022

 Dr Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, and the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy, and Space,  unveiled 75 “Amrit” Grants for Biotech initiatives involving StartUps, industry, academia, and research organisations working together. The DBT-BIRAC 75 Amrit Team Grant Initiative, according to the Minister, will significantly support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Jai Anusandhan” call.

In all domain-specific areas of the biotech industry, according to Dr. Jitendra Singh, 75 inter-disciplinary, multi-institutional grants will be sponsored for high-risk, ambitious research proposals.

According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, startups, businesses, academic institutions, and research organisations can form Team Science Grants in the form of a public-private partnership to receive grants totaling Rs. 10-15 crore over the course of two to three years for interdisciplinary, high-quality research. The awards would reportedly be widely distributed in the fields of health, agribiotech, climate change, synthetic biology, and sustainable bioresource management, according to the minister, in order to address national priorities and advance India as a global leader in biotechnology.

Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that 75 multidisciplinary, inter-disciplinary awards would be awarded for high-risk, ambitious research concepts and milestone-driven collaborative research in all domain sectors According to the Minister, this programme would help India emerge as an equal partner on the international stage and provide knowledge-based discovery solutions for societal issues, as well as transformative achievements in science. Spin-offs and venture development, he continued, will play a significant role in this endeavour.

According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, the bioeconomy in India would increase from $70 billion to $150 billion by 2025, and this can only be done with the active involvement of all the sector’s stakeholders. In the Amrit Kaal period of the following 25 years, the biotechnology sector will be the principal torch bearer of India’s developed economic status, according to him. It has been acknowledged as one of the important drivers increasing exponentially.

The Minister noted that among the several cross-disciplinary, multi-institutional initiatives funded by DBT are a few co-creative programmes on maternal health and preterm birth, bioenergy, and INSACOG. Additionally, he said that the Covid pandemic demonstrated the crucial influence of Made-in-India new vaccines, diagnostics, healthcare delivery, and management solutions, supporting India’s increasing strength toward Atma Nirbhar Bharat.

Dr. Jitendra Singh commended the DBT and BIRAC team for coming up with an original plan to honour Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with 75 DBT-BIRAC Amrit Team Grants.

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