By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 18 Oct: State Drug Controller Tajbar Singh today claimed that Uttarakhand is rapidly emerging as a major pharma hub of the country. He stated that the upcoming Global Investors’ Summit will give fresh wings to the pharma sector in the state as it is a priority sector for the government which has great potential.
Dr Singh asserted that the state government is also promoting the pharma sector through the Global Investors’ Summit. Investment in the pharmaceutical sector has increased in the state due to the favourable environment provided by the new industrial policy.
According to him, the business of pharma companies is continuously increasing. The effort of the department is to ensure manufacture of high quality medicines in these companies and also to increase the share of medicines of the companies in the country so that the state can get more revenue and employment. Singh said that the drug manufacturing pharma companies in the state are mainly located in Haridwar, Selaqui (Dehradun) and in Pant Nagar (District US Nagar). There are a total of 249 pharma companies in the state. Uttarakhand’s contribution to the total production of medicines in the country is currently about 20 percent.
Singh also asserted that, during the year 2022, a total business of about Rs 15 thousand crores was achieved in the pharma sector in the state. The important thing is that, out of this, medicines worth Rs 1150 crore were exported. Thousands of people are directly and indirectly associated with the pharmaceutical sector in the state. There are immense possibilities of investment and employment in this sector.
Singh also attributed the success of pharma sector in the state to Single Window Policy of the state and other beneficial aspects of the State Industrial Policy. Under the Industrial Policy, applications and disposal of consent and no objection certificates of industries are done under the single window scheme. The state has favourable environment, resources, facilities and environment for investment. The Drug Control Department is alert to ensure that high quality medicines are manufactured as per the standards in the state and checks the quality and standards of medicines from time to time.
Singh also claimed that due to the efforts of the government, sub-zone office of the Central Drug Standards Organisation has been established in Uttarakhand to dispose of the applications of the manufacturing firms. Due to the online licensing process for pharma companies, the complexity of the application has been eliminated and in view of high quality, all licenses are being issued only after joint inspection by the Government of India and the State Government, so that there are no irregularities of any kind.
He further informed that the pharma sector has many expectations in the Global Investors Summit to be held in December. To get any kind of information related to the medicine department in the state and for any kind of complaint, call toll free number 1800 180 4246 has been assigned. UKPMRU Society has been established on the instructions of the Government of India to sell medicines at fixed prices. The general public is getting its benefits. In this regard, toll free number 1800 180 4249 has also been activated.