Assam govt to tweak investment policies to attract pharma industry

Assam government on Sunday said it is ready to tweak its investment policies to attract the pharmaceutical sector for setting up units in the state.

As there is no specific pharma policy in Assam, the government is ready to tweak the existing norms to suit the industry players of the healthcare segment to come and invest in the state, state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at the ongoing Global Investment Summit here.

"We have a general investment policy. But some of your requirements may be different. The government of Assam is willing to customise the parameters for your requirements," the minister said.

"We will facilitate and go whatever way to help you invest in Assam. The government and political class here is helpful to you. We want investment. So we will go an extra mile to have you in our state," he said.

Sarma, who is also the Health Minister, said the government wants to transform the state and create jobs for the youths.

Health and Family Welfare Department Commissioner Samir Kumar Sinha said that Assam saw an investment of  $142 million (over Rs 900 crore) in the healthcare segment with the setting up of nine pharma units.

"The Assam government has been giving top priority to healthcare segment. The Budget allocation for the health and family welfare of the state in 2017-18 jumped by 17 per cent from 2016-17. This was one of the highest," he added.

On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati and Kalam Institute of Health Technology to source innovation from the Assam-based centre and auction them to the industry.