MPs demand revival of pharmaceutical PSUs

New Delhi, July 2 (UNI) Members of Parliament from both the Houses attached to the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers have demanded the revival of the public sector pharmaceutical companies like IDPL, HAL, HOCL and BCPL.

Participating in a discussion presided over by the Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers and Steel Ram Vilas Paswan here yesterday, they called upon the government to ensure the availability of medicines to people living below the poverty line free of cost.

They felt that health insurance is also essential for the BPL families.

MPs asked the government to allocate Rs 3,000 crore every year for health insurance and free medicines to the BPL families.

The MPs who participated in the discussion were Sarvashri Chandrakant B Khaire, S P Goyal, Kunwar Sarvraj Singh, G P Singh and Dr Mahendra Prasad. The Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Parliamentary Affairs B K Handique was also present.

The meeting was informed that the revival package of the public sector pharmaceutical companies is being looked after by the Secretary of the Ministry, Ms Satwant Reddy.

Ms Reddy said the revival of IDPL would be completed soon. The entire package of reviving the closed units including IDPL will cost Rs 2,700 crore.

She recalled that IDPL did a commendable job during the floods in Mumbai last year by providing life-saving drugs to the affected people. Even though closed, the company rose to the occasion at a short notice when no support was forthcoming from the private sector.

Mr Paswan informed the members that all labels on medicines will be displayed in both English and Hindi from October 1, 2006. He said drugs produced in the public sector undertakings are definitely much cheaper compared to the ones coming from the private sector.

The minister said government will safeguard the public from the harmful effects of the patent law, if any.

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