Ministry of Science & Technology sanctions Rs 5 crore Biotech Park for Pakyong

GANGTOK, 31 May: Ministry of Science and Technology has sanctioned a Biotechnology Park for Sikkim worth of Rs. 5 crore at Pakyong. The Biotechnology Park will be constructed in the vicinity of the Art Information and Technology Park and National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) in five acres of land.
The Ministry has approved the Biotechnology Park for Sikkim in principle and the state government has also accorded its approval for construction of the park at Pakyong.
The State Science and Technology department has identified land in Pakyong near IT park which belongs to the Land Revenue and Disaster Management department and has agreed to transfer the land to the State Council of Science and Technology at the earliest.
A high level team of experts including the Tourism Minister, Bhim Dhungel and Secretary will leave for Bangalore to study the concept of Biotechnology Park soon, (i.e after budget session 2012-13), official sources informed NOW!, further adding that the technical team will prepare a Draft Project Report (DPR).
The Biotechnology Park will be a national level park having all the facilities including a regional level research centre for Northeastern States.
The decision to establish the Biotechnology Park emerged after Sikkim hosted the 2nd Northeast Biotech Hub Coordinator’s Meet on 19 April earlier this year which saw various deliberations on the rich natural biodiversity of Sikkim.
The department of Science and Technology and Climate Change has already established the State Biotech Hub in Sikkim in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology, GOI to promote Biotechnology and Research &Development for the development and conservation of natural resources, infrastructural development, manpower and their proper utilization.