Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has said that India has witnessed unprecedented growth in the field of biotechnology, which now offers vast opportunities for the country. He was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for the BSL-4 Biocontainment Facility of the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre at Pethapur in the Gandhinagar district.

 

Mr. Shah said that in 2014, India’s bioeconomy stood at 10 billion dollars, which had grown to 166 billion dollars by the end of 2024. He highlighted the exponential rise in the number of bio-startups, bio-incubators and patents in the country over the past decade.

 

The Union Minister said that the BSL-4 laboratory inaugurated today in Gandhinagar district will be the second-largest such facility in the country after Pune and will serve as a protective shield for the nation’s health sector.

 

Describing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as a challenge facing the entire humanity, Mr. Shah called upon students and researchers to undertake focused research to ensure the safe use of antibiotics and to effectively check infections.

 

Mr. Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Gujarat, earlier today inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various development projects worth ₹260 crore in the Mansa municipality of Gandhinagar district. These include projects related to road connectivity, sewage management and water supply, along with the inauguration of a newly constructed sports complex at the Arts and Commerce College in Mansa.