2.Possibilities of Application of Biotechnology in West Bengal

Over the past 25 years, implementation of rural land reform programme in West Bengal has unleashed an economic resurgence which is expected to propel its rapid stride into a highly industrialized state.  The policy envisaged here would ensure that all sections of our society are equal partners in the march towards progress. Twentieth century gave birth to two technological revolutions in the areas of Information Technology and Biotechnology.  These two are expected to touch every sphere of human activity.  Information Technology has  already matured and has given rise to huge opportunities for revenue generation and jobs.  However, before this waive begins to subside, the state should be ready for growth in another quarter so that the natural and human resources of West Bengal are utilized to their fullest potential.  Hence the need of the hour is to harness these resources for developmental activity through a visionary policy in the area of Biotechnology.  It should be emphasized that the strengths of West Bengal lie in its highly successful agricultural sector.  It also has untapped unique resources in the mangroves unlike any other part of the country.  Focusing on these strengths, a Biotechnology vision statement for West Bengal has been developed to enhance and organize the existing strengths and strengthen the weaker but potentially important development programs.

Our mission is to ensure scientific and technological empowerment of West Bengal's human resources.  We aim at creating a strong infrastructure both for research and commercialisation.  We intend to launch a major well directed effort for generation of products, processes and technologies to enhance the cost effectiveness and productivity of agriculture, modern medicine, pollution control, biodiversity conservation and bio-industrial development.

2.1.   West Bengal – A Bird's eye view of the positive aspects:

2.1.1  Quality of competent R & D Institutions:

The important advantage of initiating any scientific and technical endeavour in West Bengal is the availability of a good number of Research and Development Organisations with a tradition of high quality basic as well as applied research. Of them, many have already existing infrastructure and teams of highly competent scientists and technologists having exquisite achievements in Biotechnology and allied fields. Institutions deserving mention in this context are listed below :-

           ·                 Indian Institute of Chemical Biology

           ·                 Bose Institute

           ·                 Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science

           ·                 Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

           ·                 Indian Statistical Institute

           ·                 Calcutta University

           ·                 Jadavpur University

           ·                 Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya

           ·                 Visva-Bharati University

           ·                 Kalyani University

           ·                 North Bengal University

           ·                 Burdwan University

           ·                 Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine

          ·              All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health

          ·              University of Fishery and Animal Husbandry

2.1.2   Availability of high quality of human resources:

West Bengal, often described as the intellectual epicentre of India, is well-known for the high quality of human resource it holds. Apart from stalwarts in different fields of natural as well as social sciences, the state has a high concentration of competent skilled manpower suitable for working in upcoming Biotechnology ventures. The State has a good network of scientific non-government organisations who had been implementing the task of popularising science among the people in general. The State Government with its decentralised developmental institutions is capable of utilising the combined strength of the people's science organisations in generating awareness of  the utilities of Biotechnology in agriculture among the farmers so as to create an environment demanding the growth of agricultural  biotechnology.   As such, the state does also have the qualitative ability to tune up its human resource especially in the agriculture sector.

2.1.3    Development in the agrarian sector in the last few decades:

The State Government has effectively implemented land reforms in the last few decades. Simultaneously, it has developed a well-established Panchayat System whereby it has been possible to achieve notable success in running a live, active and interacting institutional framework of decentralised planning and development. The Panchayaty institutions, through their protracted efforts of overall development, have tangibly contributed in improving road network and other infrastructure facilities in rural West Bengal. Through land reforms and related follow-up activities, it has been possible to establish relations of production in agriculture suitable for introduction of new and potent upcoming technologies.

2.1.4    Upcoming Industrial Scenario of West Bengal :

The State Government announced Policy Resolutions on Industry in 1994. Since then, sustained endeavours for facilitating rapid industrialisation have been made. The State being highly rich in bioresources, being rich in trained and resourceful manpower in chemical, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries and being the gateway to various South-East Asian countries, has its natural potential for developing Biotech Industries which have been declared as a high priority sector by the Govt. of West Bengal.