Experts and stakeholders will deliberate on the need for formulating a new pharmaceutical policy to lure the drug companies for setting up units in the state at the Pharma Convention-2012 to be held here on May 20.
“Despite having conducive environment in the state, the sector is yet to flourish in the state compared to Maharashtra, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. There is requirement of a policy for the pharma sector in the state,” said Smruti Ranjan Mishra, Chairman, Orissa Pharmacy Intellectual Forum (OPIF), a body representing interest of stake holders in the pharma sector.
Mishra said, so far the state has attracted investments in the steel and power sectors and these projects have failed to take off due to land acquisition problems. However, for setting up of a medicine manufacturing unit, which is non- polluting, the land requirement will not be a couple of acres, he added.
The convention, with the theme of ‘Empowerment of Pharmaceutical sector in Odisha’, will have participants from industry, government and academic to discuss wide range of issues. Besides, the day long convention will focus development of entrepreneurship, employment generation and human resource management.
The forum also pitched for establishments of National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), an apex institution for pharma sector, research development units and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) in the state.
The state government should lobby at the Centre for setting up NIPER in the state, Mishra said.
The mega event on the pharma sector will be attended by the Srikant Jena, Union minister of state for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Prasanna Acharya, state health minister and top executives of the pharmaceutical companies.
