Tripura’s College Biotech Club initiative awarded in national level

  • Tripura Tribune Desk
  • Mar 20, 2025

Agartala, Mar 20: In a significant achievement, Tripura’s Biotechnology Department has been selected for the prestigious SKOCH Award 2025 for its groundbreaking College Biotech Club initiative. 

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Habitat Centre in New Delhi on March 29.

Announcing the news at a press conference, Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment Animesh Debbarma highlighted the state’s commitment to advancing biotechnology. The SKOCH Award, presented by an independent national body, recognizes outstanding contributions in governance, technology, and sustainable development.

With over 400 projects from 27 states competing for the award, Tripura's initiative stood out after multiple rounds of rigorous evaluation. The College Biotech Club program, launched to enhance biotechnology education, has been successfully implemented in 17 degree colleges, with plans to expand to four more in the next academic year. From 2025-26, the initiative will also extend to medical, veterinary, agriculture, and fisheries colleges, with financial grants increasing to Rs 2.5 lakh per institution.

Minister Debbarma also provided updates on the state’s ambitious Bio-Village 2.0 project, which had previously won the SKOCH Silver Award in 2022. Currently, 24 such bio-villages are operational, with plans to establish six more by 2026. A Pune-based private firm has expressed interest in collaborating on the initiative, signaling further growth in sustainable development efforts.

Additionally, the department is in discussions with corporate partners to promote paper recycling, while a new Institute for Bioresources and Sustainable Development is set to be established at the TFDPC office building, focusing on scientific research into medicinal plants for herbal medicine development.

The press conference was attended by Secretary of Science, Technology, and Environment Dr. K. Shashi Kumar and Joint Director Anjan Sengupta, who reaffirmed the department’s vision of positioning Tripura as a leader in biotechnology and sustainable innovation.