Guwahati could emerge as pharma hub for South East Asia: Ananth Kumar

To be spread across 89 acres of land, the first phase of construction, amounting to Rs 160 cr, has started from today and that the total project cost would be to the tune of Rs 550 cr

Guwahati could soon emerge as the pharmaceutical hub for South East Asia, said Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers, Ananth Kumar, here today while laying the foundation stone of the permanent campus of the seventh National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), to be set up at Changsari near Guwahati.

To be spread across 89 acres of land, the first phase of construction, amounting to Rs 160 crore, has started from today and that the total project cost would be to the tune of Rs 550 crore.

"Guwahati can be a pharmaceutical hub for entire South East Asia, and the seed for this to happen has been sown today It would also become a hub for integrated medicine ensuring holistic care and treatment," said Kumar.

NIPER Guwahati campus would have the second largest campus after NIPER Mohali.  Kumar said Guwahati could be the first of the 10 proposed 'Pharma Parks' that are being envisaged by the Central government across India.

The Indian pharmaceutical industry has an annual turnover of Rs 2 lakh crore and is estimated to grow at a rate of 15-20 per cent over the next 10 years. The Union minister said that he had reviewed the functioning of NIPER, Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited (BVFCL) at Namrup and Assam Gas Cracker Project and that his ministry would extend all possible support towards these projects. "If someone feels nothing is happening, we are only a phone call away," said Kumar, assuring Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi that he would personally take up with the concerned ministries for expediting the early completion of National Institute of Design (NID) and the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT) in Assam.

Gogoi had urged the Centre to expedite the process for permanent campuses of NID and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in the State.