Modi Govt To Roll Out Schemes For Strengthening Pharma Industry With Focus On MSMEs And Clusters

With an objective to further enhance India’s existing manufacturing prowess in the Pharmaceuticals Industry, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central Government is planning to roll out a series of initiatives under the banner of schemes for ‘Strengthening Pharmaceuticals Industry’ (SPI).

Keeping in view the strategic role of MSMEs, who provide important forward and backward linkages to the industry, and also keeping in view that MSMEs tend to grow in clusters, these schemes will address the issues of technology upgradation at both unit level and cluster level, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers said in a release on Tuesday (19 July).

In a bid to strengthen the supply chain of pharmaceuticals industry where MSMEs are an integral part, the government will be incentivising the intending MSME units going in for acquiring 'Schedule M' certification or WHO GMP certification through the sub-scheme Pharmaceuticals Industry Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS), the ministry said.

The MSME unit will have the option to choose from either capital subsidy or Interest subvention.

At the cluster level, the sub-scheme ‘Assistance to Pharmaceuticals Industry for Common Facilities’ (APICF) envisages to support creation of common facilities like Testing Labs, Common Effluent Treatment plants and other such common facilities by providing government support in the form of capital grant to the extent of up to 70 per cent subject to a ceiling of a maximum of Rs 20 crore, the ministry said.

In a bid to plug the knowledge gap, the third sub-scheme proposes to conduct a series of awareness programs, conduct sectoral studies and organise similar such programs to generate soft inputs for policy advocacy, it added.

Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers will formally unveil these initiatives on Thursday (21 July) at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar International Convention Centre.