IT & Industries Minister K Taraka Rama Rao today made a strong pitch for indigenous production of medicines in the country to cater to the growing health needs of people.
Unveiling a Pharma City plan as part of I-Telangana 2017 conference at HICC here, he emphasized the need for increasing production of medicines without relying on foreign countries. Giving a power-point presentation on the pharma city, KTR said indigenous pharma production will slash medicine prices and offer jobs to local youth. The country is lagging behind in the production of medicines as about 84 per cent of raw material of medicines being imported from China, Europe and America.
“We should focus in indigenous production of the medicines in sufficient quantities and the government will extend all support for the purpose”, he said, adding that Telangana Government will launch the world’s biggest Pharma City in Muchcherla in a phased manner as 19,333 acres plan cannot be implemented in one go. Stating thatIndia was importing about 66 per cent of medicine raw material from China, the minister said that prices of the medicines will come down when they produced domestically.
“We have conducted a complete study for the pharma city and background works are going”, on he said, adding that the people should not worry about pollution problems as the government is taking care of all such things. The Government has obtained necessary environmental permissions for the Pharma City which will be developed with world class standards. Due to six to seven pharma industries located in various industrial areas there was more expenditure for production and caused more pollution problems and now they all will come together. The minister said that they have planned a Pharma City to accommodate all of them at one place he said. As a result the prices of the medicines will come down and pollution will be less and prevented from causing health hazards using modern technologies and equipment.
KTR said that the Government will implement a plan for reducing the prices of the medicines by launching “World pharmaceutical largest industrial area on the city outskirts.
The Industries Minister said that the pharma city will provide employment to about 4.20 lakhs people directly and indirectly and local people will benefit. The Government will offer training to people for the jobs and provide them with residential facility at the pharma cluster he declared. He asked the people near Muchcherla pharma cluster area to avoid believing in vicious campaign by some vested interests about the possible spread of pollution. (NSS)