Guwahati: Assam Chief Secretary IAS Dr Ravi Kota stated that as Chairman of Guwahati Biotech Park, he chaired the 19th Council of Management meeting on 25 April. He listed a series of new initiatives aimed at strengthening innovation, industrial growth and entrepreneurship in the state, in a social media post.
He highlighted that significant progress has been made at the Technology Incubation Centre, whose Phase I was inaugurated in May 2022 by Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Developed with an investment of Rs 34.78 crore, the facility is now fully functional and houses R&D ventures by entrepreneurs operating in leased laboratory spaces. Phase II expansion is underway, featuring modular laboratory development, utility buildings, and a 50-capacity hostel for interns and researchers.
With 30 per cent of physical progress achieved, the Rs 17.36 crore expansion is targeted for completion between December 2025 and March 2026.
The Business Enterprise Zone (BEZ) is also being developed at the Park’s permanent site in Guwahati with an investment of Rs 29.48 crore. With 70 per cent of construction completed, the BEZ will offer long-term leased spaces to medium and large biotech units and allied sector players, boosting industrial growth.
Additional projects at Guwahati Biotech Park include:
- The NIDHI PRAYAS Centre, established in 2023, supporting early-stage innovators in prototype development with two funding cycles currently underway.
- The Business Incubation Centre for Fisheries and Aquaculture (BICFA), launched under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), promoting innovation in fisheries and aquaculture. Ten entrepreneurs have received seed funding, and a Biofloc Fish Farming Unit has been set up.
- A Regional Honey Testing Lab, funded under NBHM with Rs 551.45 lakh, currently progressing in procurement and recruitment.
- A Skill Satellite Centre for Women, sanctioned under the TDDUPW programme with a financial outlay of Rs 63.36 lakh, focusing on vocational training and entrepreneurship development.
- A Pilot Packaging Unit, established with World Bank-aided APART support, assisting startups in packaging and equipment usage training.
Highlighting Assam’s leadership in biotechnology initiatives, Dr Ravi Kota announced that the state is the first to sign the BioE3 Policy with the Department of Biotechnology and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
With Guwahati Biotech Park’s proximity to premier institutions like IIT Guwahati, NIPER Guwahati, CIPET Guwahati, and CSIR-NEIST BioNEST, the park is poised to become a major hub for fostering high-performance biomanufacturing under the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) initiative.
Furthermore, Dr Ravi Kota also invited more partners to join this growing ecosystem, reaffirming Assam’s vision to emerge as a global destination for biotechnology-driven economic development.
