Jammu and Kashmir to Formulate Biotechnology Policy to Tap Bio-Economy Potential

The Jammu and Kashmir government is set to formulate a comprehensive Biotechnology Policy to position the Union Territory as a major contributor to India's fast-growing bio-economy. The proposed policy seeks to build bio-manufacturing ecosystems by leveraging J&K's rich biodiversity, medicinal plant wealth, and diverse agro-climatic zones.

The Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology, chaired a meeting on Sunday which discussed the findings of senior officers who undertook extensive study visits to India's premier biotechnology clusters, including Genome Valley (Hyderabad), Guwahati Biotech Park, and facilities in Lucknow, Vizag, and Chandigarh. The delegation studied operational models, technology incubation frameworks, and industry-academia linkages at these hubs. The meeting was also briefed about the global best practices and sector-specific opportunities for Jammu and Kashmir.

The Commissioner Secretary called for an immediate formulation of a comprehensive Biotechnology Policy, recognising that the Union Territory sits at the confluence of extraordinary natural wealth and untapped scientific potential. With over 6,500 plant species, including over 200 high-value medicinal and aromatic plants such as saffron, lavender, wild mushrooms, rare herbs and unique climatic zones from subtropical Jammu to alpine Kashmir, the region possesses inherent advantages that remain underexploited in India's rapidly expanding USD 130 billion bio economy, projected to reach USD 300 billion by 2030 under the national BioE3 Policy.

The policy will target the agriculture biotechnology for crop improvement and climate resilience, pharmaceutical manufacturing leveraging J&K's rich phytochemical biodiversity, food processing and nutraceuticals from horticulture produce, dairy biotechnology for probiotic innovations, industrial enzyme production and environmental bioremediation for water bodies like Dal and Wular lakes. The policy framework will align with J&K's existing strengths while creating new value chains in bio-manufacturing, moving beyond raw material export to high-margin biotech products.

Addressing the youth employment challenge, the Commissioner Secretary suggested a structured internship programme for biotechnology graduates from local institutions, creating direct pathways from academic training to industrial application. This initiative responds to the gap between qualified graduates and sector-relevant opportunities within the UT.

The Department of Science and Technology is operationalising two DBT-funded Industrial Biotech Parks in Kathua (Jammu region) and Handwara (Kashmir region) — representing a combined Union investment of Rs 84.66 crore — as Centres of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology. These facilities will transition from infrastructure assets to active innovation hubs supporting startup incubation, technology commercialization and R&D in fermentation, enzyme technology, herbal extraction and analytical testing.

Drawing lessons from Genome Valley's public-private partnership model and Guwahati Biotech Park's incubation success with 26 lab facilities and NABL accreditation pathways, the DST vision positions J&K's biotech ecosystem within a larger convergence framework. Partnerships with SKUAST-Jammu and SKUAST-Kashmir, along with CSIR-IIIM's pharmaceutical R&D capabilities, will provide the intellectual infrastructure for translating indigenous knowledge into patents, products, and prosperity.

The Commissioner Secretary emphasized that biotechnology represents not merely a policy sector but a transformative pathway — converting J&K's biodiversity into biowealth, its scientific institutions into innovation engines and youth into a skilled biotech workforce ready for India's bio-manufacturing century.