GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 5045
ANSWERED ON: 01.04.2022
Pharmaceutical Industry
Pritam Gopinath Munde
Girish Bhalchandra Bapat
Chandra Sekhar Sahu
Rahul Ramesh Shewale

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has recently issued any guidelines for the scheme for strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry in the country;

(b) if  so, the details thereof along with the details of funds allocated for the said scheme;

(c) whether the Government also proposes to improve the existing infrastructural facilities of the pharma sector in the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the targets fixed by the Government under the said scheme; and

(e) the steps taken to establish India a global leader in the pharma sector?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS
(SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA)

(a) & (b): The Department has recently issued the guidelines of the scheme “Strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry (SPI) in 11th March 2022 with the following objectives: 

  • To strengthen the existing infrastructure facilities in order to make India a global leader in the Pharma Sector by providing financial assistance to pharma clusters for creation of Common Facilities.
  • To upgrade the production facilities of SMEs and MSMEs, to meet national and international regulatory standards, by providing interest subvention or capital subsidy on their capital loans.
  • To promote knowledge and awareness about the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Industry by taking up studies, building databases and brining industry leaders, academia and policy makers together to share their knowledge and experience. 

The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs. 500 crore for a period of five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

(c) to (e): Department of Pharmaceuticals strives to improve the infrastructural facilities of the pharma sector in the country towards making India, a global leader in the sector.

  • In order to make the country Atmanirbhar in pharmaceuticals, the Department of Pharmaceuticals has launched the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) Scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/Drug Intermediates (DIs), and Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients (APIs) in India. The Total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs. 6,940 crore and the tenure from FY 2020-2021 to FY-2029-30.
  • Another ‘Production Link Incentive (PLI) scheme for Pharmaceuticals has been launched with total financial outlay of Rs. 15,000 crore and tenure from FY 2020-2021 to FY 2028-29. The scheme intends to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities by increasing investment and production in the sector and contributing to product diversification to high value goods in pharmaceuticals sector. The eligible drugs under this scheme include APIs among other categories of pharmaceuticals products.
  • The Department has launched a scheme to provide further support to API pharma companies through providing, financial assistance to the States for establishing three Bulk Drug Parks.
  • Further, Department provides support to the pharma clusters for creating common infrastructure facilities under Assistance to Pharmaceuticals Industry for Common Facilities (API-CF).
  • Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS) has also been approved to support SME units in pharmaceutical sector for quality & technology upgradation. 

Details of all the above schemes can be accessed at https://pharmaceuticals.gov.in/schemes.