New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) The number of publications and patents filed or granted and technologies developed/commercialised during 2021-22 by the Department of Biotechnology are way less than the numbers achieved during 2019-20 and 2020-21, a parliamentary standing committee report said on Tuesday.

According to official data, 122 and 195 patents were filed/granted to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively, while 83 patents were granted in 2021-22.

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As many as 136 and 112 technologies were developed in 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively, and just 30 technologies were granted in 2021-22.

"Total publications in 2019-20 and 2020-21 was 3,758 and 2,450, respectively, and 1,105 publications were released in 2021-22," the data said.

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A report by the parliamentary standing committee, which was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, said the Department of Biotechnology has been able to spend only about 65 per cent of the budgetary allocation in 2021-22 under the 'Biotechnology Research & Development' scheme.

The Committee expressed its worry on the constant under-utilisation of funds especially under the Central Sector Scheme –Biotechnology Research & Development and strongly recommended the department to ensure full utilisation of the funds allocated to it in B.E. (budget estimates) 2022-23.

The Committee also noted that utilisation under the Central Sector Scheme “Industrial and Entrepreneurship Development” is 85 per cent. The overall utilisation of R.E. (revised estimates) 2021-22 under the two Central Sector Schemes is about 72 per cent.

"The Department informed the Committee that the B.E. 2022-23 allocation under the two schemes is lesser than even the R.E. 2021-22 allocation by about 23 per cent. When enquired about the reasons, the Department informed the Committee that in B.E. 2021-22, Rs 900 crore was allocated for Mission COVID Suraksha, which was a one-time allocation," the panel said.

The Department further submitted that the budgetary outlay for schemes for the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 (15th Finance Commission circle) has been kept at 5.5 times of actual expenditure of all schemes in the year 2019-20 of the Department of Biotechnology, amounting to a total of Rs 8,447.48 crore and according B.E. 2022-23 allocation of Rs 1,680 crore has been made.

The Committee takes note of the fact that particularly, budgetary reduction under the “Industrial and Entrepreneurship Development” is quite significant.

"It can be seen that the R.E allocation for the scheme got reduced by 27 per cent approximately in comparison to the B.E. allocation of the year 2021-22. Moreover, the current allocation made in B.E. 2022-23 for the same has been reduced by 50 per cent in comparison to the already reduced R.E. allocation of 2021-22," the panel said.

The Committee said it is at dismay as to how the Department of Biotechnology would be able to carry out its activities with such meagre allocation.

"The Committee observes that since the Department has not been able to utilise the R.E. 2021-22 allocations to its fullest, allocation in B.E. 2022-23 has been reduced substantially. The Committee expresses its worry on this constant under-utilisation of funds especially under the Central Sector Scheme –Biotechnology Research & Development, and strongly recommends the Department to ensure full utilisation of the funds allocated to it in B.E. 2022-23," it said.

The Committee, expressing concern over the shortfall in allocation and its impact on the Department's programmes and initiatives, asked DBT about the absolute bare minimum increase needed in 2022-23 to sustain the key programmes.

The Department submitted that in order to meet obligatory and important fund requirement, a minimum additional allocation of Rs 500 crore over and above B.E. 2022-23 is required.

The Committee expressed its deep dissatisfaction and discontent over the execution of programmes of the Department under Unique Methods of Management and treatment of Inherited Disorders initiative.

"It is agonising to note that these programmes, though are well planned on the paper, lack actual ground level execution. Identification of rare and genetic diseases has a far reaching consequence, not just to the patient and its family, but also on the biotechnology and bio-pharmacology research and treatment infrastructure.

"The Committee, therefore, strongly recommends the Department to identify and resolve the lacunae in execution and speed up its efforts to achieve the set targets for the year 2021-22," the panel said.

The Committee said it is also "constrained" to note that the initiatives of the Department are not evenly spread out across the country and are restricted to few states only.

"It is pertinent that the benefits of the societal development initiatives of the Department are purposefully implemented in the economically and socially backward regions. The Committee recommends that the Department should evolve a more inclusive approach in selection of regions," the panel said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)