NRDC to promote technologies designed to fight COVID-19

‘Over 200 projects so far developed by various organisations’

The National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) has prepared a compendium on the projects developed by various public-funded organisations, universities and start-ups across the country.

About 200 technologies have been developed by different laboratories, IITs, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other institutions in the last few months and the NRDC is trying to give publicity and encourage the young entrepreneurs, according to NRDC Chairman and Managing Director (C&MD) H. Purushotham.

The NDRC, a unit of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, will promote COVID-19 technologies in the areas such as pilot plant studies, registration of product with regulatory authorities, field trials and bridge the gap between the lab scale development and the industrial requirement.

Focus on 3Ts

“The aim of the NRDC is to give a boost and publicity to start-ups and commercialise the production to combat the viruas. As many as 38 laboratories under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have developed a good number of technologies on COVID-19. Various departments under the Government of India (GoI) like DST, Department of Bio-Technology (DBT), Technology Development Board (TDB), Invest India and Principal Scientific Advisors’ Office have so far granted more than ₹500 crore for the projects,” Dr. Purushotham told

The Hindu .

“We are focusing on ‘Tracking, Testing and Treatment’ (3Ts) to fight coronavirus. Organisations like Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) and Bio-Technology Industry and Research Council (BIRAC) were among those which developed the technologies, and the products got cleared by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which is a regulatory body, for mass production,” the NRDC C&MD said.

The NRDC has recently launched a funding scheme to promote the projects developed by various laboratories and invited proposals for maturing lab scale COVID-19 technologies.

Under the scheme, ₹2 lakh would be granted under techno-commercial support and ₹10 lakh for some priority projects. “We have so far received about 100 proposals,” he said.

“The response from various universities, IITs and a few individuals is overwhelming. In deserving cases, the grant may be enhanced to above ₹10 lakh subject to the recommendation of the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC). For more details, entrepreneurs, students, startups and organisations can visit www.nrdcindia.com ,” the Chairman added.