New Delhi: Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mr Ananth Kumar while addressing the media recently at New Delhi appraised the gathering about the achievements of Department of Chemicals, Fertilizers and Pharmaceuticals during the last three years. Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, Mr Mansukh Lal Mandaviya was also present on the occasion.
In the Pharmaceutical sector, the Minister informed that under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) over 760 Jan Aushadhi Kendras are functioning across the country. With the Government’s target to achieve 3000 JAKs, every tehsil would have one JAK soon. Currently over 450 medicines and 150 health supplements are available at around one-third the price of branded drugs at the JAKs. Further, the Minister that Medical devices parks are coming up at four locations including Vishakhapatnam, Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) and others in Gujarat and Telangana. Mr Kumar also informed about the coming up of National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), the latest been set up at Jhalawar, Rajasthan. These institutes would lead to path breaking research in pharma sector and give a boost to creating a strong force of pharma scientists in the country.
Answering a question on strategic sales of Fertilizer PSUs, Mr Kumar informed that strategic sale is a method of utilizing the excess land resources available with loss-making fertilizer PSUs to mitigate all liabilities and aid in the revival of the plant in turn. This would have no effect on the availability of affordable medicines in the market, he added.
Other dignitaries present at the occasion were Mr Anuj Kumar Bishnoi, Secretary, Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Mr Jai Priye Prakash, Secretary, Pharmaceuticals, Mr Bharathi Sihag, Secretary, Fertilizers, along with other senior officers of the ministry.
