Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is blessed with different varieties of medicinal plants , photo-pharmaceuticals , pharmacy bio-resources , aromatic plant bio-resources and the like but due to lack of the requisite attention of the authorities in the Government towards harnessing them and utilizing for commercial ventures in the form of setting up of bio-technological and industrial entities , much has been lost that could have otherwise been gained . Better late than never, the fact had been admitted by the Governmentto correct which, in February this year, it showed some seriousness about the matter and a Governing Body and Executive Committee of the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Biotechnology Parks Society were formed and tasked with chalking out strategies to utilize these bio-resources for commercial purposes , which were available in abundance in Jammu and Kashmir. Since we often talk of current levels of low profile of but greater scope for eco- friendly industries in Jammu and Kashmir , opportunities had to be utilised for setting up new industrial units based on medicinal and aromatic plants related bio-diversity. Obviously, for that , proper facilities and availability of technologies were necessary and related infrastructure needed to be created.
The varieties could be seen and their related scope for generating demand for products and creating of self employmentopportunities as these industrial units could have been related to producing related products based on protein therapeutics, vaccines and fermentation products to create incentives and inter-se support base. Having said all this, by now, there should have been some progress made towards realising the objectives of forming the said two groups /society. The position, as on date , is quite contrary to the expectations as the top bureaucrats and experts have reportedly done a zilch in respect of any planning or evolving a proper strategy. In other words, a precious period of 10 months hasgoneastray , rather been wasted. It is said to be believed that several officers concerned are so much ”connected” with the project that they do not even know about they being members on these committees. It is more astonishing to note that the constituted body is headed by no less than an important Government functionary as one of the Advisors to the Lieutenant Governor. That sounds quite unfortunate and does not auger well for concepts like deliverance and performance, the two key pillars of responsive and responsible administrative set up.
The entire process could have taken care of allied issues like human resources development leading in turn to entrepreneurship development, creatingnecessary and useful linkages with centres of knowledge such as National R&D laboratories, universities, research institutions both in the country and abroad. In other words, Jammu and Kashmir would have occupied a place on a canvas of bio-resources development , commercial utilization, employment opportunities, development and research and creation of a strong net work of all the related activities. Agreed, the task is not that easy and smooth as it appears to be and needs initiatives, innovative decisions, weighing of risk factors though expectedly nominal,but an attempt to take off at least looks nowhere. Problems of venture capital funds and bank credit to the proposed bio-technological companies, on the other hand,too had been envisaged and the constituted bodies had to be of facilitating and support providing entities.
Lot many departments including Finance, Health , Education , Science and Technology , Revenue etc had been proposed to be associated with the grand venture or to put it in simpler words, adequate administrative paraphernalia had been created to meet the desired results. Not to speak of anything worthwhile positive towards the objective, even formal meetings too have reportedly not taken place at least to know from the deliberations as to where the matter stands currently. Doing exercises of formulation of Society – Governing Body and Executive Body and thereafter forgetting to do anything on the ground, must be found out in respect of, due to which reasons and the matter looked into in its entirety.
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