Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has inaugurated India's first demonstration facility for biopolymers in Pune.

National

On October 13, 2024, Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, virtually opened India’s first Demonstration Facility for Biopolymers in Jejuri, Pune, Maharashtra.


      - The facility was created by Praj Industries Limited, a Pune-based multinational engineering company.

      - It aims to produce Polylactic Acid (PLA) bioplastic using advanced, locally developed technology.

     

Main Points:-   (i) Polylactic acid (PLA) is a natural polymer designed as an alternative to commonly used petroleum-based plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

      (ii) India ranks 12th in the world in biotechnology and 3rd in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also the largest vaccine producer and has the third largest startup ecosystem.

(iii) India's bioeconomy is expected to exceed US$ 150 billion in 2023 and reach US$ 300 billion by 2030.

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