Orissa is set to march towards a new journey, a new goal and a new destination. The State is bestowed with rich minerals and bio-resources, a unique cultural heritage, luxuriant forest and wildlife, the sprawling Chilika lake, a bountiful coastline and much more. Orissa has been successful enough in drawing global attention owing to its multi-dimensional splendour. A breeze

of awakening and progress is now blowing across the State. Orissa is anxious to register its presence in the field of Biotechnology. This document identifies areas of priority for the Tenth Five Year Plan. A vision document with a longer prospective is under preparation.

“Biotechnology is a fast emerging thrust area with unprecedented opportunity for understanding of fundamental life processes as well as physical well being and improvement in standard of living… “

Presently only a few medicinal plants are cultivated in the State. Furthermore, rapid urbanization of the State brings a great threat i.e. the shrinkage of forest lands. Therefore, a step-wise program will be carried out to conserve medicinal and aromatic plants (especially ex-situ) and also to genetically characterize these plants. Gene banks would be established for endangered and endemic species, those deployed in tribal and folk  medicine, and others that are commercially exploited.