The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) which has got 143 per cent hike in the plan allocation for the current Plan period will be promoting public-private partnership in a big way by spending a considerable amount of the total Rs.11,804 crore during the current Five Year Plan period.

The priorities of the Department for the period include expansion and commissioning of bio-clusters at Faridabad, Mohali, Kalyani and Hyderabad and setting up of new clusters, apart from sustained support to public-private partnership with new innovative schemes, sources at the DBT said.

A total budgetary allocation of Rs.11,804 crore had been made for the 12th five year plan (2012-2017), against a proposed outlay of Rs.18,000 crore. The allocation for the 12th Plan was 143.89 per cent more than the allocation of Rs.4,840.00 crore made for 11th Plan (2007-2012). The total budget estimate outlay for the year 2013-14 is Rs.1502.06 crore (with a Plan component of Rs.1485.00 crore). In the year 2012-13, the total allocation of Rs.1500.39 crore (with a Plan component remaining the same at Rs.1485.00 crore) at BE stage was reduced to Rs.1315.72 crore at revised estimates (RE) stage.

The major thrust areas of the current plan period includes expansion of available pool of research scholars and scientist at all levels (Ph.D, Post Doctoral Fellows, young faculty) in biological and interdisciplinary space by three to five folds, connecting and augmenting existing competences across institutions and universities for bio-economy and social impact, expanding, diversifying career paths with a linkage to high-end interdisciplinary sciences, innovation, translation and entrepreneurship, and strengthening regulatory science and infrastructure.

The Department also will look to expanding existing autonomous R&D institutions, establishing DBT grants-in-aid or partnership research and translational centres through long term support in five best universities/ institutions, and reorienting “Grand Challenge Programme” Scheme of 11th Plan to address national priorities in various developmental sectors through bottom-up approach and also encourage discovery led innovative ideas.

Promoting discovery led innovation and strategic investments in priority sectors like health, promoting new generation biotech industries, and technology acquisition, transfer and licensing for product development especially in the drug research will be among the other key areas of focus.