"To achieve our 'Skilled India' vision, we'll train a large number of individuals quickly and to high standards"

Jayant Singh Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, in an interaction with BioSpecturm in Hyderabad, shares his insights on the various initiatives taken up by the Centre for skill development programmes, boosting self-employment. He exudes confidence that the new BioE3 Policy will give a new direction to the Indian industry, further grounding its roots and boosting its manufacturing prowess to meet the domestic needs and global demands in key areas of pharma, biotechnology and other sectors.

- Amguth Raju

What according to you are the key objectives of the BioE3 policy and how is it going to boost the industrial sector in the country?

The BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment) Policy aims to position India as a leader in bio-manufacturing and address critical challenges like climate change and resource sustainability. Its main objectives include increasing Research and Innovation, Strengthening Domestic Bio-manufacturing, Promoting AI and Digital Tools, Establishing Facilities and most importantly developing a skilled workforce.

I am quite confident that by increasing research and innovation, the industry can focus on solutions to tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions. Enhancing collaborations among science, technology, engineering and manufacturing sectors will strengthen domestic Bio-manufacturing. I believe this new BioE3 policy is going to put more stress on encouraging the use of advanced technologies alongside biotechnology innovations and this will promote India in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Tools. This policy will also enable the creation of Bio-manufacturing Hubs and Biofoundries to support scalable production. Above all nurturing a skilled workforce is very important. This policy stresses developing a talented workforce which is needed to drive innovation and boost the next level of the Industrial Revolution in the country.

What specific initiatives is the government implementing to foster a skill development ecosystem for startups involved in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), Key Starting Materials (KSMs), and bio-pharma sectors, especially in terms of adhering to sustainable environmental norms?

The government is committed to fostering a robust skill development ecosystem for startups in APIs, KSMs, and bio-pharma sectors. To achieve this goal, we are implementing several specific initiatives.