Vaccine Manufacturing Unit To Come Up On Bhubaneswar Outskirts

Bhubaneswar: An advanced and vibrant vaccine manufacturing unit was put on fast track with chief secretary Asit Tripathy resolving the issues related to the project at a high-level meeting here on Friday.

Tripathy directed to start the ground level construction work of the project at Andharua on the outskirts of the city within a fortnight and commence production within the schedule time.

He also told the anchor developer Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) to set up a ‘state of art’ biotech incubation centre, common facilities and IT corridor along with the first phase construction of the industry. The company was requested to promote the local startups.

Secretary Skill Development and Technical Education and Chairman & Managing Director IDCO Sanjay Kumar Singh said, “The land is readily available at Biotech Park, Andharua for ground breaking works. The building plan as per the design has also been approved.”

Principal Secretary Science and Technology Santosh Sadangi, who presented the updates for discussion, said the required statutory clearances and pollution control board permission has been availed for setting up the unit.

Singh further said the startups in Odisha are doing well and many of them have already acquired patent of their innovations. As of now, 774 startups are operating in various incubation centers out of whom 65 incubates have acquired patent, trade mark and copy write. Around 75 startups are incubating in biotech and health sector, he added.

Presenting their preparedness, Chairman and Managing Director BBIL Dr Krishna Ella said, “Ours is a multidimensional biotechnology company specialising in manufacture of vaccines and bio-therapeutics. The company has taken up the development and production of new or improved vaccines against severe Rotavirus Diarrhoea, Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies, Pandemic Influenza and drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus.  Its unit at Andharua of Bhubaneswar would produce ten types of vaccines including those for malaria and COVID-19. The total investment would be around Rs 300 crore.”

Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, Director of Indian Institute of Life Sciences Dr Ajay Parida, senior officers from the Science & Technology department, IDCO, KIIT Biotech Incubation Center participated in the deliberations.