'Konark Knowledge Park' to come up in Bhubaneswar

Konark Knowledge Park is the first PPP project conceived under a development partnership between the state Govt and Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBH), a leading manufacturer of vaccines and biotherapeutics products in India.

"Institutes and universities producing professionals in Biotechnology sector should fine tune their curriculums in order to cater to the requirements," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said while laying the foundation stone of the Rs 100 crore Biotech Park.

The park will be developed under public-private partnership between the Odisha government and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International at Mauja-Andharua on the outskirts of state capital Bhubaneswar.

The project aims to boost investments in the areas of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals in the state by providing such industries high class infrastructure,' a senior official of the state's science and technology department told.

The state government has allocated 64.86 acres of land (30 acres in Phase I and 24.86 acres in phase II) including 10 acres of land for development of Biotech Incubation Centre through a Special Purpose Vehicle [SPV] for development of an integrated industrial park to attract and promote biotechnology, pharmaceutical and information technology industries here. The land for park has been allocated in the form of a long term lease to the SPV named Konark Knowledge Park Pvt. Ltd.

Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) will provide all external infrastructure facilities, such as four-way lane roads to the gate, uninterrupted water supply, uninterrupted power with 33KVA sub-station, sewage etc to facilitate rapid development of internal infrastructure. The project is expected to be completed over a period of 8 years.

The Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India will fund for the expensive and sophisticated biotech equipment for the incubator which will help in developing this as a Centre of Excellence.