Gujarat, A.P. and Himachal to have bulk drug parks

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya speaks in the Lok Sabha on December 16, 2022. Photo: Sansad TV via PTI

Three bulk drug parks are being set up in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh in order to help supply raw material for pharmaceutical industries, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.

In a reply during Question Hour, the Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers said that applications had come in from 13 States and after evaluating them, these three States were finalised.

He informed the House that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the necessity for bulk drug parks was felt. The parks would reduce the country’s dependence on foreign countries, for chemicals used by the pharmaceutical industry.

“As of now, we have given ₹300 crore each to the States. They are entitled to get ₹1,000 crore each for setting up these parks,” the Minister said.

He was responding to a question by Khammam MP Nama Nageshwara Rao on whether India was importing bulk drugs majorly from China, during COVID.

Replying to another question, Dr. Mandaviya who is also the Union Minister for Health, said that more than 1,500 private hospitals had been empanelled under the `Ayushman Bharat’ scheme, in the last one year.

He said that the out-of-pocket expenditure of the patients had come down due to the scheme. The scheme, which was launched in 2018, was reviewed every month, he stated.

Health security cover was provided to 10 crore families or 50 crore people of India, through this scheme. Today, 4.5 crore needy people were empanelled under the scheme, he added.

“The poor and needy people are covered under the `Ayushman Bharat’ scheme and they can avail ₹5 lakh health security cover. Any hospital can empanel under the scheme … In the last one year, more than 1,500 private hospitals have been empanelled under the scheme,” Dr. Mandaviya said.