India slow in adapting new technologies: Bhan

Updated on: Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Terming India a laggard in adapting new innovations, a top government official today said said the country needs to fix its regulatory system and be good at innovation to become a "powerhouse" in the field of Biotechnology.

M K Bhan, Secretary of government's Department of Biotechnology, said India is facing a dire shortage of properly skilled persons to run innovation at the mid-level.

Addressing scientists from across the country at a seminar 'Prospects Of Diagonostic, Therapeutic Proteins and Human vaccines Industry In India,' he emphasised that India needs to fix its regulatory system and be good at innovation to become a "powerhouse" in the field of Biotechnology and that investors should show some patience in this sector.

"India has slow adaptation of new technologies. In the biotechnology sector, most investors lose patience too soon. They don't have appetite to stay invested for longer periods. It is here that the government needs to step in and fill the void," Bhan said.

Bhan added that Biotechnology sector which was at the 'biggening of it's era' needed people who were educated, effective and have entrepreneurial bent of mind.

"We need to connect engineers with biology and medicine. To address this issue effectively, we should focus on places of education. We should make endeavours to create massive learning opportunities and great career paths," he said.

Bhan said that the entrepreneurship was must for modern science and innovation and apart from developing skills, India needs to create facilities to make breakthrough in the field.

"Business can't thrive unless we become promoters of innovation. We have potential, but lack something to be a leader in the field of biotechnology," Bhan said.

Bhan expressed concern over the lack of demand for Biotechnology products in India, saying though India had a great opportunity in the field of vaccination and biogenerics, the immunisation coverage was still very low.

"Demand for biotechnology products is an important issue in India. The Biotechnology sector needs policy push for demand creation and increased public expenditure on health considerably. The immunisation coverage is only 55 per cent in India. This needs to be increased," said Bhan.

India slow in adapting new technologies: Bhan

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