The Tripura Biotechnology Department has been awarded the prestigious SKOCH Award 2025 for its College Biotech Club Project, marking another significant achievement for the state in the field of biotechnology. The award will be formally presented at a ceremony at Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on March 29, 2025.
The announcement was made by State Science, Technology, and Environment Minister Animesh Debbarma during a press conference at the Tripura State Pollution Control Board Conference Hall. He emphasized that SKOCH is an independent and well-respected organization that annually evaluates and recognizes innovative initiatives by government agencies across India.
Recognition for Innovation and Expansion of Biotechnology Projects
The College Biotech Club Project stood out among 400 projects submitted from 27 states, undergoing multiple evaluation stages before securing the award. Notably, Tripura’s Biotechnology Department previously won the SKOCH Silver Award in 2022 for its Bio-Village 2.0 Project.
Minister Debbarma highlighted that the state currently has 17 College Biotech Clubs in various degree colleges, with four more clubs planned for the 2025-26 session. This initiative has now been expanded to professional and technical colleges, including medical, veterinary, agriculture, and fisheries institutes, with the financial grant per club increased to ₹25 lakh.
Innovative Biotechnological Advancements in Tripura
The minister outlined several groundbreaking projects driven by the College Biotech Clubs, including:
- Use of Techocha fish for mosquito larva control
- Pro-biotech technology to enhance aromatic rice quality
- Intensive vermicompost utilization for sustainable agriculture
- FRET technology for detecting water pollution
- Development of alternative fish feed, funded by the central government
Additionally, Tripura has established 172 DNA Clubs in higher secondary schools, with a target to add 50 more schools in 2025-26. These clubs allow students to conduct science-based activities, such as blood group identification, herbal infusion preparation, mushroom cultivation, and DNA extraction from fruits.
Future Biotechnology Developments and Research Initiatives
The Tripura Biotechnology Council is also working on converting Bagmara’s Barabhaiya Orchard into a Plant Bank Orchard to preserve rare and valuable plant species for research purposes. So far, 1,500 students have visited the orchard for educational learning.
Further strengthening its commitment to biotechnology, Tripura signed an MoU in February 2025 with the Institute for Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) to establish a research center focused on medicinal plant-based herbal medicine production. A funding proposal for the initiative has been submitted to the Central Department of Biotechnology.
Minister Debbarma emphasized that the department’s primary mission is to promote environmental conservation, economic development, and employment opportunities through sustainable biotechnology solutions. He also mentioned ongoing discussions with companies regarding paper recycling initiatives to support eco-friendly practices.
With Tripura emerging as a leader in biotechnology innovation, the SKOCH Award 2025 serves as a testament to the state’s commitment to advancing sustainable scientific progress.
