Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday unveiled the Life Sciences Policy 2022 and the Research & Development Policy 2022.
The Life Sciences policy is aimed at attracting ₹20,000 crore investment in the field and generate 50,000 jobs in the State, transforming it into the most preferred destination for researchers in biologics, biosimilars and medical technology. It will also enhance the existing ecosystem by making it more conducive for units to operate, produce and move higher in the value chain.
It also proposes to simplify regulations and improve ease of doing business for life sciences firms and build local production capacities and increase import substitution of pharmaceutical products and cutting-edge medical equipment.
The policy proposes setting up of infrastructure such as biotechnology and pharmaceutical parks, medical devices and medical textiles parks and centres of excellences, provision of incentives such as capital subsidy, training subsidy, land cost incentive among others, and enable sustainable financing for projects.
The R&D policy aims to double expenditure for research by 2030.
It will also increase inputs to R&D, including the number of researchers and scientists in both government and private sectors, innovation output such as patents and publications, developing a synergetic innovation ecosystem of research parks, research centres, centres of excellence and innovation hubs. It also aims to promote R&D in private sector by targeting new indigenous performing firms in both manufacturing and service sectors.
The policy aims to strengthen knowledge infrastructure in the State, including innovation clusters, dedicated hi-tech corridor along with the industrial corridors, knowledge city and research parks, creation of an Industry 4.0 platform, setting up of a dedicated Work Lab cell in Guidance to facilitate industry-academia collaboration, develop centres of excellence and facilitate national and international R&D collaboration.
It will provide grants for R&D labs, support publications and conferences, increase admission intake and stipend for PhD programmes, create training programmes for faculty members, create a 100 Talent Plan to attract renowned academicians and scientists of Tamil origin living abroad to undertake short-term assignments in universities in the State and set up Technology Transfer Offices in technical colleges and universities.
It also proposes TANSIM to set up regional start-up hubs in smaller towns and cities, i-Tamil Nadu Technology Hub (iTNT) to build India’s first Deeptech Innovation Network connected to the world and MSME Innovation Research Programme. The policy also proposes a number of funding avenues for such measures.
