Odisha Govt, Bharat Biotech to Set up Vaccine Manufacturing Unit in Bhubaneswar


Odisha Govt, Bharat Biotech to Set up Vaccine Manufacturing Unit in Bhubaneswar

The Odisha government aims to start the production of Bharat Biotech vaccine Covaxin in the state capital Bhubaneswar by June 2022. The construction of the vaccine production unit has been started at Andharua in Bhubaneswar and aims to commence the production of Covaxin by June 2022.

The project was announced after a state-level Bio-Tech implementation committee meeting was held virtually under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra.

During the meeting, Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra directed officials to speed up the construction for commencing the production by June 2022.

The unit will manufacture about 10 types of advanced vaccines, including the vaccine to fight against Covid-19 and Malaria.

Suresh Mahapatra said, "Smooth land allotment process by the IDCO [Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation] and 'ease of doing business' reforms have helped in beginning the process," adding that statutory clearances and permissions have also been granted for setting up the unit.

Mahapatra also directed the department to set up a professional Directorate of Bio-Technology for having a focused approach towards the incubation and setting up of new industries in the sector.

"The government has made provisions for extending different incentives to biotech incubation and startups in form of land allotment, exemption of stamp duty, land conversion, training subsidy, capital investment subsidy, interest subsidy etc. under the Odisha Biotechnology Policy of 2018," states Manoj Mishra, Secretary Science and Technology.

Approximately, 15 crore has been allocated under the 'Fund of Funds' of MSME department for providing equity support to the incubating units in Biotechnology sector," said Mishra.

The extension of subsidies needs to be managed professionally for optimizing the outcomes.

In a statement, Sanjay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, IDCO stated, a state-of-the-art hub incubation centre has come up near Infocity, Bhubaneswar, where two floors with around 28,000 sqft space can be made available for incubation facilities. "The decision is likely to benefit around 775 startups in Odisha. Out of these 775, around 65 have acquired the patent, trademark and copy right. Around 75 startups are being incubated in the biotech and health sector."