With an objective to enhance India’s existing manufacturing prowess in the pharmaceutical industry, the Department of Pharmaceuticals is planning to roll out a series of initiatives under the banner of Schemes for “Strengthening Pharmaceuticals Industry” (SPI). Keeping in view the strategic role of MSMEs, who provide important forward and backward linkages to the industry, and also keeping in view that MSMEs tend to grow in clusters. Furthermore, these schemes will address issues of technology upgradation at both the unit and cluster levels, according to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.In order to strengthen the supply chain of the pharmaceutical industry where MSMEs are an integral part, the government of India will incentivize the intending MSME units going in to acquire Schedule M certification or WHO GMP Certification through the sub-scheme Pharmaceuticals Industry Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS).The MSME unit shall have the option to choose between either a capital subsidy or an interest subvention. At the cluster level, the sub-scheme ‘Assistance to Pharmaceuticals Industry for Common Facilities’ (APICF) envisages supporting the creation of common facilities like testing labs, common effluent treatment plants and other such common facilities by providing government support in the form of capital grant to the extent of up to 70 per cent, subject to a ceiling of a maximum of Rs. 20 crore.The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers stated in its presser, “In order to plug the knowledge gap, the third sub-scheme proposes to conduct a series of awareness programs, conduct sectoral studies, and organise similar such programmes to generate soft inputs for policy advocacy.”“These initiatives are formally unveiled by the Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, on July 21, 2022, at the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar International Convention Centre. Shri Bhagwanth Khuba, MoS for Chemicals & Fertilizers, shall also be gracing the occasion.
