The Department has recently issued the guidelines of the scheme “Strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry (SPI) on 11th March 2022. The scheme is applicable to all parts of the country. The objectives of the scheme are as follows:

To strengthen the existing infrastructure facilities in order to make India a global leader in the Pharma Sector by providing financial assistance to pharma clusters for creation of Common Facilities.

To upgrade the production facilities of SMEs and MSMEs, to meet national and international regulatory standards, by providing interest subvention or capital subsidy on their capital loans.

To promote knowledge and awareness about the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Industry by taking up studies, building databases and brining industry leaders, academia and policy makers together to share their knowledge and experience.

The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs.500 crore for a period of five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.   The scheme has three sub-components Viz, Assistance to Pharmaceuticals Industry for Common Facilities (API-CF), Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS) and Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices Promotion and Development Scheme (PMPDS).

Under PTUAS, support is provided to MSME units in pharmaceutical sector for quality & technology upgradation. It is planned to provide support to about 420 MSME units, during the scheme period of SPI.

Under API-CF, support is provided to the pharma clusters for creating common infrastructure facilities.  It is planned to provide support to 10 projects during the scheme period of SPI. A project of Inducare Pharmaceuticals and Research Foundation (IPRF) for creation of Common Facility Centre at Pune, Maharashtra with grant-in-aid support of Rs 20.00 Crore was approved in FY 20-21 under then API-CF. A total grant-in-aid of Rs. 18.00 Crore has been released till date.

Department of Pharmaceuticals strives to improve the infrastructural facilities of the pharma sector in the country towards making India, a global leader in the sector.

In order to make the country Atmanirbhar in pharmaceuticals, the Department of Pharmaceuticals has launched the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) Scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/Drug Intermediates (DIs), and Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients (APIs) in India. The Total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs. 6,940 crore and the tenure from FY 2020-2021 to FY-2029-30. A total of 51 applicants have been selected under the scheme.

Another ‘Production Link Incentive (PLI) scheme for Pharmaceuticals has been launched with total financial outlay of Rs. 15,000 crore and tenure from FY 2020-2021 to FY 2028-29. The scheme intends to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities by increasing investment and production in the sector and contributing to product diversification to high value goods in pharmaceuticals sector. The eligible drugs under this scheme include APIs among other categories of pharmaceuticals products.

The Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks, with a financial outlay of Rs. 3,000 crores and the tenure from FY 2020-2021 to FY 2024-25, provides for financial assistance to three States for establishing Bulk Drug Parks.

This information was given by Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba in a written reply in Rajya Sabha yesterday.