Governor Bandaru Dattatraya has requested the Centre Government to establishment Drug Preventive Analysis and Management Centre (DPA&MC) in Himachal Pradesh in accordance with the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) Act 1998.
In a letter written to D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, GoI and subsequent telephonic discussion, the Governor urged the Minister to direct the NIPER at Mohali in Chandigarh to establish a centre of excellence for carrying out preventive management of drug usage in young children, adolescents and adults in Himachal Pradesh. He said that drug menace amongst the young was a burning problem today and Himachal is no exception and the problem has already acquired alarming proportions. The solution requires a systematic approach through a process of professional support by an organization like NIPER.
Shri Dattatraya said that Himachal is the most rural state of the country and thus the mandate of the Act would be fulfilled appropriately if a centre of excellence was opened within the State. He further said that the State has emerged as one of the fastest-growing regions in the pharmaceutical sector in India. He detailed that the state produces 35% of the pharma products made in Asia and accounts for 60% of the total pharma formulations in the country. More than 300 pharma companies including all the industry majors are located here.
He said that Himachal was the pharma hub of the country and to develop the area further, the state government has identified land to set up a bulk drug park in the state. He added that Himachal was the second-largest producer of pharmaceutical products in the country after Hyderabad.
“Keeping in view the challenges like COVID and continuous problems in Indo-China trade, we need to focus on Make-in-India and establish a centre of excellence in Himachal Pradesh. It will not only strengthen the pharma sector in Himachal but will also help to realize the dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat”, pleaded Dattatraya.
The Union Minister assured the Governor that he would certainly expedite the matter regarding setting up the centre in the State.
