Punjab's drug policy simplifies license system for chemists

Chandigarh, Sep 11 (UNI) The Punjab Government's new drug policy aims to streamline and simplify the procedure for renewal of licences to the chemists.

Stating this here today Health and Family Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla said that according to the new policy approximately 5000 to 6000 applications had been entertained for the renewal of licences to chemists all over the state. After completing all the formalities and verifying required norms, the licences had been renewed for a period of five years.

This was, perhaps, for the first time that the renewal of licences had been done at the doorsteps of the chemists and that too in a stipulated time frame of two months, she added.

It may be recalled that the Drug Controller Bhag Singh alongwith his team of officers had been asked to expedite the backlog of the renewal of pending licences within a stipulated time from July one to August 31.

The minister reiterated that intensive and aggressive campaign against the sale of habit forming drugs, adulterated food items and other spurious drugs would continue. She said that out of 30 chemist licences cancelled in the state, 19 were cancelled due to sale of habit forming drugs.

She said that 28 unlicenced godowns had been detected at various places in the state and legal proceedings under Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 had been initiated against the owners. Unauthorised drugs amounting to Rs 87 lakh had been seized from different places in Punjab, she added.

UNI