Pharma sector seeks policy initiative

The lack of a dedicated policy has dwarfed the growth of the pharmaceutical sector in Odisha despite the presence of a conducive ecosystem for the sector, experts said here.

"The pharma industry in Odisha is not growing despite all the favourable factors like good road and rail connectivity, availability of water and electricity. We need a policy and focused approach for the sector," said Sanjay Rajpal Sharma, director (process engineering formulation), Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Hyderabad.

"The pharma sector in the country is growing at the rate of 12 per cent compounded annual growth rate and there are more than 10,000 drug manufacturing facilities across the country," he added.