Govt should allow PSU pharma cos to use vacant land: Panel

Government should allow public sector pharmaceutical companies such as IDPL and HAL to utilise their vacant land for promotion of pharma clusters, a parliamentary committee has said.
"In order to give thrust to scheme (Cluster Development Programme for Pharma Sector), the committee desires that the Department should consider entrusting creation of clusters with PSU pharmaceutical companies like IDPL and HAL etc," Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers has recommended in a report.
The report on the cluster development programme for pharma sector (CDP-PS) says these companies may be encouraged to utilise the land available to them for setting up of clusters along with creation of common world-class facilities through special purpose vehicle (SPV) or PPP mode, it added.

The committee also recommended that the Department of Pharmaceuticals may also provide suitable grant for creation of such facilities. "This may benefit as good revenue stream to PSU pharma companies by utilisation of their vacant land," it opined.
The department had announced the CDP-PS in 2014.
It aims to create common facilities with aim to increase competitiveness, easy access to standard testing facilities and value addition to the domestic pharma industry, especially SMEs.