The Government of India has awarded Balrampur Chini Mills Limited (BCML) a Rs. 75 crore grant to develop a 100 TPA bio-plastic poly lactic acid (PLA) and co-polymer R&D facility, giving a major push to the country's efforts to build indigenous capabilities in advanced biomanufacturing.

The grant has been sanctioned by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) as part of the government's flagship BioE3 — Biotechnology for Economy, Environment & Employment — initiative.

The pilot-scale facility will be established at BCML's integrated manufacturing complex in Kumbhi, Uttar Pradesh, alongside the company's planned integrated commercial PLA manufacturing facility, which BCML says is India's first of its kind.

The new R&D centre is designed to serve as an innovation hub for next-generation PLA grades and co-polymers, helping accelerate product development, technology indigenisation, customer validation and the transition from pilot production to commercial-scale manufacturing.

Commenting on the announcement, Avantika Saraogi, Executive Director, Balrampur Chini Mills Limited, said, "The Government of India's support through this Rs. 75 crore BioE3 grant is a strong endorsement of the strategic role that advanced biomanufacturing will play in India's future. 

"This facility will help build indigenous technology, develop next-generation bio-based materials and create the scientific and technical capabilities required for India to lead the global transition towards sustainable manufacturing. We are grateful to the Department of Biotechnology and BIRAC for their confidence in our vision and look forward to contributing to India's emergence as a global bioeconomy powerhouse."

The facility will focus on developing specialised PLA grades and advanced PLA co-polymers for high-value applications, while generating the techno-economic data and process know-how needed for commercial-scale production.

It will also serve as a training ground for highly skilled talent in India's emerging biomanufacturing sector and create avenues for collaboration between industry, academia and research institutions.

The facility is intended to bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial manufacturing. Its scope will span the product-development cycle — from understanding customer requirements and developing new PLA formulations to producing pilot samples, validating performance and preparing successful technologies for commercial-scale production. 

BCML also plans to offer limited-service access to the facility for academic and research collaborations, with the aim of strengthening India's biotechnology innovation ecosystem.

With global industries increasingly shifting towards bio-based materials and circular manufacturing, the facility is positioned to support the development of sustainable material technologies while strengthening India's domestic biomanufacturing capabilities.