The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health & Family Welfare led by Amar Singh MP, which is examining the issues involved in creating the Central Drug Authority (CDA) and the mandatory registration of the clinics, is learnt to have abandoned its efforts to hear the views of former ICSR chairman Dr RA Mashelkar afresh due to his preoccupation with engagements.
According to official sources, the Amar Singh committee, which has already heard the views of all the stakeholders, was to elicit the crucial evidence from former ICSR chairman Dr RA Mashelkar, whose committee had earlier recommended the formation of CDA, before finalizing the recommendations. Though the committee was trying to hear his views afresh, it so far failed to do so as Dr Mashalkar was unavailable due to his busy schedule.
Sources said the committee might not make any fresh attempt to rope in Dr Mashelkar as his earlier recommendation will be treated as his views.
Meanwhile, sources said the panel has almost finalised its recommendations on the formation of CDA which will be tabled in Parliament in the monsoon session if the Congress-led UPA government wins the crucial Confidence Vote on July 22. In fact, the panel was to submit the recommendation to the Prime Minister in the just concluded budget session of Parliament, but it could not do as the officials were busy with the demands and grants procedures on the budget proposals.
Sources also said that the chances of holding another round of discussions with various stakeholders before finalizing the report is very slim due to the unexpected political developments in the country arising out of the Indo-US Nuclear deal. There were reports that the committee will have another round of visits to some places in July before finalising its recommendations. Now that the CDA panel chairman Amar Singh is playing a key role in the emerging political drama in the capital, the chances of another round of visit is very thin. And if the government wins the confidence vote, it is almost certain that the committee will finalise the recommendation soon and will be tabled in Parliament in September this year, sources added.