Govt wants to reduce compliance burden on pharma sector: Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said that the government wants to reduce the compliance-burden on the pharma industry for ease of doing business.

Speaking as the chief guest at an Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association (IDMA) event here, Mandivya, who is also the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, said that the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is not only pro-poor and pro-farmer but industry-friendly as well.

We want the ease of doing business for the industry and lessen the compliance burden on it. This is why we always carry out consultations with all stakeholders prior to the formulation of any policy or regulation (governing the pharma industry), Mandaviya said.

The government is helping the industry by amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and promoting Ease of Doing Business, he said, adding, We are involving the industry in decision-making processes.

Also, through a series of webinars, the government has tried to reach out and consult industry and other stakeholders on the implementation of Union Budget provisions, the minister stated.

Our government is pro-poor, pro-farmer and industry-friendly government. It is dedicated to the poor and farmers but at the same time it is an industry-friendly government as well, he emphasized.

Stating that the industry plays an important role in nation-building and also in achieving self-reliance, the Minister said that today the Indian pharma industry is known in the world which is due to the efforts of both the Government and the industry.

He said that the government is working to make the pharma industry self-reliant and also enhancing and the introduction of the Rs 15,000 crore Productivity-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme is a step in this direction.

Through the Production Linked Incentive Scheme, the government has tried to reduce imports by encouraging domestic manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, he said.

Manufacturing of 35 Active Pharma Ingredients (API), which used to be imported earlier, has started in the country now under the PLI Scheme for the pharma sector, Mandaviya said.

The Minister urged the pharmaceutical sector to prepare a plan for the next 25 years

Government does not view the health sector as a profit-making industry. When we export medicines, we do it with an attitude of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. During the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, India supplied medicines to 125 countries, he added.