Assam govt may subsidise imported life saving drugs

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the state government may consider giving subsidies on imported life saving medicines, including those on which customs duty exemptions were recently withdrawn by the Centre.
"Our main aim is to give relief to common man. We will definitely try to provide some subsidy on those medicines, whose prices have gone up recently," Gogoi told reporters here.
He, however, did not elaborate on the subsidy the state government wants to give to people.
Criticising the policy decision of the Centre, Gogoi said the move will adversely affect the poor people.
"This is a very silly move. The decision is anti-poor, anti-common man. Since the present NDA government came to power, prices of the life saving drugs are on rise. Where is the Aam Aadmi in their agenda?" asked the Chief Minister.

In the last week of January, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) issued a notification withdrawing exemption of levy of basic customs duty on as many as 74 life saving drugs.

The medicines, on which customs duty was imposed, include the ones used for treating kidney stones, cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy, life-threatening heart rhythm disorders, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, bone diseases, antibiotic to treat infections.
Besides, drugs used for bacterial infections, leukemia, anesthetic medication, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B virus cells, allergies, arthritis, lupus and ulcerative colitis might also see spurt in prices.
Also, drugs used in blood dilating medicine or for treating menopause, glaucoma, anogenital warts, poisoning by a chemical or pesticide, growth failure in children and adults, who lack natural growth hormone, would also attract customs duty.