State level committees for monitoring drug prices: Paswan

Gurgaon, Aug 12 (UNI) The Central Government will constitute state level committees to monitor and control prices of medicines and drugs in the country, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Ram Vilas Paswan said here today.

The Union government would also make avaliable about Rs 300 crore every year to provide medicines free of costs to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in the country, he said at the opening of IDPL here.

Mr Paswan said that the Union Cabinet would dicuss various issues which would include providing relief to the Government Pharmaceutical Companies and checking the increasing prices of medicines in the country.

He said that government would soon abolish excise duty and import duty on the medicines to cure AIDS and cancer. While referring to the issue of setting up a cancer assistance fund at the national level, he said that the Central Government would contribute 75 per cent fund for this project.

Mr Paswan said that the Government would spend Rs 200 crore to control the disease of cancer. Those living below the poverty line would get 50 per cent rebate on medicines to cure cancer whereas the handicapped and the old would get 100 per cent rebate, he added.

He said that the Government has increased the number of life saving drugs from 74 to 354. The Government was considering to enhance the retirement age of the employees of the Government Pharmaceutical Companies on the pattern of Fertilizer Ministry and a final decision in this regard would be taken shortly,he added.

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