File picture of Kapil Sibal at a news conference

Jan. 20: The Centre has proposed a public-private partnership model for the first biotech park that will be set up in the city.

A source said the Union minister for earth sciences and science and technology Kapil Sibal has asked Assam science and technology minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to adopt the partnership model for the biotech park.

“The state government had requested Sibal for assistance to set up the park during his visit to the city on Saturday. Sibal had assured the government that his ministry would extend all possible help, such as working out the modalities of the partnership agreement for the park,” the source said.

On the initiative of chief minister Tarun Gogoi, the state science and technology department has proposed to set up the biotech park, which will tap the state’s rich bio-diversity and open up avenues for private investment.

“Assam is lagging behind the other states of the country in the information technology (IT) revolution. The state government wants to ensure that the same does not happen with biotechnology,” the source said.

After the modalities of the private-public partnership agreement are worked out, the state government will invite bids from private developers.

Sibal had stressed that the partnership was the best option, as it would be cost-effective, result in higher productivity and greater flexibility.

“The Centre says the joint venture could encourage the participation of pharmaceutical companies from other parts of India and abroad,” the source said.

He said as it would be difficult for the government to raise funds for the park, major companies in the field would have to be invited for the purpose. The project could be a joint venture between the government and the company that comes forward to set up the park.

Dispur has already identified the plot to set up the park in north Guwahati.

As a bio-diversity hotspot, the state could attract the private sector and entrepreneurs to set up units in the proposed park.

The source added that it would also encourage the local entrepreneurs, who want to enter the booming industry.

Research and development would be an important part of the proposed park, he said, adding that there were amazing developments in the field of biotechnology in the country and the state should benefit from them.

The proposed park will have incubation centres to encourage entrepreneurship development in areas like crop sciences, food processing, horticulture, floriculture, sericulture and animal husbandry.