New Delhi: Amid a clarion call for Make in India initiative, the central government has taken a move to develop bulk drug parks in the country to reduce dependents on imports of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and drug intermediates from China.
The development is likely to give a boost to India's self-dependency amid the ongoing border tussle with China.
The department of pharmaceuticals has formulated a scheme namely 'Assistance to Bulk Drug Industry for Common Facility Centre (CFC)' for providing assistance of up to Rs 100 crore for creation of CFC in any upcoming bulk drug park promoted by state governments, officials said.
The department has already given in-principle approval to Andhra Pradesh Cities Promotional Corporation Limited, Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited and Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation Limited under the scheme.
The department has also set up a 2 years time frame for development of CFC.
Government statistics revealed that two-thirds of the total bulk drugs and drug intermediates are being imported from China. The import from China is mainly due to economic considerations.
In the year 2018-19, India imported 67.56 per cent drug intermediates worth US $2405.42 million from China.
"Total imports of bulk drugs and drug intermediates in 2018-19 was US $3560.35 million out of which US $2405.42 million was invested for imports from China which is 67.56 per cent," a document from Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers stated.
Read: India, China holding diplomatic talks to ease border tension
This was also stated by Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda in the last session of the Parliament in March.
The Indian pharmaceutical industry is 3rd largest in the world in terms of volume and 14th largest in terms of value.
India exported medicine worth US $14389 mn in 2018-19. The country also exported bulk drugs/drug intermediates worth US $ 3911 mn in 2018-19.
The central drugs standard control organisation (CDSCO) said that India imported 12006.11 MTs raw materials in 2018 and 11230.50 MTs raw materials in 2019 for the formulation of antibiotic medicines in the country.
Significantly, the department of pharmaceuticals has already constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Dr Eshwara Reddy, joint drug controller (CDSCO) to address the issue of drug security in the country.
And based on the recommendations of the committee, the department has issued necessary instructions to National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and state governments to ensure an adequate supply of APIs and formulations at affordable prices in the market and to prevent black marketing, illegal hoardings, creating an artificial shortage in the country.
The department of pharmaceuticals has also written to DGFT to restrict exports of 13 API and formulations made of these APIs which include paracetamol.
The NPPA has also asked the state chief secretaries to closely monitor the productions and availability of APIs and formulations to prevent the black marketing.
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