New Pharmaceutical Policy to help common man: Paswan

New Delhi, Jan 13 (UNI) Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said the New National Pharmaceutical Policy has been submitted to the Cabinet for approval which provides for special schemes for BPL families, Drug Banks, Cancer Medicine Assistance Scheme as well as repositioning of Pharma PSUs, incentives for Research and Development and export promotion.

Briefing mediapersons here, Mr Paswan said Government has approved revival plan of Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd. (HAL), Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BCPL) and is also contemplating revival of Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the revival proposal for Hindustan Insecticides Ltd (HIL) and Hindustan Organic chemical Ltd (HOCL).

The Minister further informed that the Petroleum Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) Policy is under consideration that could help in reaping the benefits of co-sitting in integrated Petroleum Chemicals and Petrocheck complexes.

The government has approved the Assam Gas Cracker Project at a cost of around Rs 5,460 crore and the Gail India Ltd is the lead promoter with 70 per cent equity participation and the project is expected to give employment to one lakh people, he added.

Mr Paswan said till date National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) has filed 64 patents, of which 12 patents have been granted, two patents have been commericalised successfully. The Department has decided to set up NIPER like institutes at few other locations in the country.

The Government has also approved setting up of three more Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) Extension Centre at Jaipur, Panipat and Aurangabad.

A Pharmaceutical Advisory Forum under the Chairmanship of Mr Paswan has been constituted to help realise the objective of ensuring abundant availability at reasonable prices within the country of good quality essential pharmaceuticals of mass consumption and strenghening the indigenous capability for cost effective quality production.

Mr Paswan further said National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has been empowered again to fix the prices of drugs for the benefit of the common man.

The minister said after the revival of PSUs the government will purchase all their production for use in hospitals. Presently, the government's share is Rs 250 crore in the 55,000 crore pharmaceutical industry.

UNI