Population 82 million Area 88,752 sq. km Capital Kolkata Industrial Prodn. 4.5 % of India Food grain Prodn. 8.91% of India State Domestic Product $40 bln Industrial Investment $6.37 bln ( ) FDI $ bln ( )

SDP Growth Rate (%)Per Capita Income Growth (%) Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh Tamilnadu Gujarat Karnataka West Bengal Source: West Bengal Economic Review to

Fastest growing State in India, with highest SDP growth rate & per capita income (1995 – 2005). Ranked as one of the most attractive destinations for investment. Identified by ASSOCHAM as main business growth centre with biotech as one of the potential areas of investment. Gateway to North-Eastern India and South-East Asia.

Human capital Low cost of operations Quality infrastructure support Conducive biotech policy Biodiversity

Himalayas to Bay of Bengal Snows to mangrove forests & ocean Rich forests & fertile plains Diverse genepools for bioprospecting BIOGEOGRAPHIC ZONES OF WEST BENGAL CENTRAL HIMALAYA CHHOTA- NAGPUR LOWER GANGETIC PLAIN EAST COAST

3580 species of flowering plants (21%) species of animals (10%). (West Bengal Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan 2002)

Tradition of high quality basic & applied research. Many R&D organizations with excellent infrastructure. Teams of competent scientists & technologists. Under-graduate & PG level biotech degree courses since TCG Lifesciences IIT Kharagpur

Over 7,46,500* enrol for graduate courses. 20,000 students enrol in engineering. * Annual Report , Ministry of HRD, GOI.

Already emerged as preferred IT destination in India with over 300 companies employing more than 55,000 IT professionals. Ready for growth in biotech sector to utilize human & natural resources to fullest potential. Major centres in Bose Institute, Calcutta University, IIT/ Kharagpur & IICB. Calcutta University conducts 1-year advanced post- graduate diploma course in bioinformatics.

26 Universities and institutes of national importance 67 Engineering Colleges 513 Degree Colleges Source: Annual Report Ministry of HRD, GOI. The Best are here The Best are here Nationally Highest Per capita spend on Education IACS Calcutta University NUJS Jadavpur University

The Best are here The Best are here ISI, Kolkata ISI, Kolkata IIT, Kharagpur IIM, Calcutta Bengal Engineering & Science University Bose Institute Indian Institute of Chemical Biology Presidency College St. Xaviers College West Bengal University of Technology National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine West Bengal University of Health Sciences Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalay

Healthcare Agriculture Medicine Genomics Diagnostics Industrial Environmental protection

Conservation of biodiversity through sustainable use. Transfer of technology to grass-root levels. Development of human resources for this sector. Employment & income generation. Quality infrastructure creation for biotech industries. Attracting investment in biotechnology sector. Creation of congenial environment for biotech industry through process simplification. Addressing issues like intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, biosafety and bioethics.

State capital investment subsidy (upto 25% of fixed capital investment) Interest subsidy Waiver of electricity duty Employment generation subsidy Remission of stamp duty & registration fee Subsidy for conversion to use piped gas Subsidy for quality improvement

To accelerate development of technologies & their commercialization. To create a wholesome ecosystem to nurture startups. Parks with provisions for incubators, common facilities & commercial units. To draw technical expertise & support from the universities & research institutes. Various models: Govt funded/ PPP.

Biotechnology Park (Kharagpur,WBBDC) Biotechnology Knowledge Park (Anil Ambani Group) Jagadish Bose Biotechnology Park (Bose Institute) Ekta Incubation Centre (West Bengal University of Technology) Biotechnology Park (Videocon) Biotechnology Park (Calcutta University) Biotechnology Park (Salt Lake,WBBDC)

Ranked Number 1 NASSCOM & Gartner in 2005 in power by NASSCOM & Gartner in 2005

Source: C B Richard Ellis Chennai Chennai Gurgaon Gurgaon Hyderabad Hyderabad Bangalore Kolkata Mumbai/Pune Mumbai/Pune Chandigarh Chandigarh

Has excellent international & last mile telecom connectivity. State owned BSNL, Reliance, Bharti, TATA Indicom & other abundant bandwidth. Kolkata Chennai Mumbai Kochi

Multiple modes of local transport: Metro underground rail network, circular railway, tramcars, ferries, buses, & cars. Road infrastructure strengthened by a number of flyovers.

Lowest CMIE consumer price indices among the Indian metros. At 15 to 20%, has the lowest job attrition rate. Bangalore Mumbai Pune Hyderabad Kolkata Delhi CP Index for urban non-manual workers as on Oct 2005

Mumbai suburb BloreDelhiChennai Kolkata (Mumbai suburb = 100) Labour Related costs Non Labour costs Hyderabad Source:India Today; CMIE Index; team analysis % 89.7

DELHI BOMBAYKOLKATA BANGALORE HYDERABAD MADRAS Knowledge Capital Operating Costs Power & Telecom Transport & housing Political Stability, Law & order & Infrastructure Health Work culture PoorFairGood Source : PwC India

Lucrative return on investment with high potential for societal development. With their exposure to biotech commercialization, scientists & faculty may provide consultancy assistance to biotech industry. They could develop into bio-entrepreneurs with support of government policy & affordable technology incubation facilities.

Contract research services Translational research Clinical trials Bioinformatics On average takes 40% of costs Increases chances of success.

Blessed with abundant genetic resources, advantageous geographical location & highly skilled manpower as is required for a knowledge- based industry like biotechnology; West Bengal is thus an ideal destination for the biotech sector.