The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has revised the work allocations for its senior officials including directors and the deputy secretaries, coming under the two joint secretaries. While director R C Jha will be looking after many key works including inter-sectoral coordination and Jan Aushadhi programme, director B K Singh will be in charge of the policy matters.
Apart from co-ordination between the state governments and other agencies, Jha will be also in charge of all affairs related to central pharmaceutical undertakings and its joint ventures along with the bureau of pharmaceutical PSUs. Inter-sectoral coordination will include organizations, institutes and state governments in areas related to the subjects coming under the pharma department.
All policy matters including the national pharma policy and price control have been allocated to B K Singh. Pharmaceutical industry matters, NPPA, export promotion, vigilance and things related to Parliament will be under his work portfolio, according to sources. All things concerning the international cooperation including joint working groups and free trade agreements will also be under his jurisdiction.
Promotion and coordination of basic, applied and other research related to pharma, international cooperation on research, development of manpower, infrastructure, education and training including the grant of fellowships, NIPER affairs, R&D and the environment cell will be looked after by deputy secretary S C Sharma, as per the new order on the allocation of works. The responsibilities of S K Sharma will include all matters concerning DPCO, pricing and availability of medicines as per DPCO, all court cases and legal matters and right to information, among other things.
Director Paresh Johri who is in charge of the pharma industry and director R C Jha will be under Joint secretary Arun Jha while director Ravindra Mathur and deputy secretaries S C Sharma and S K Sharma will report to join secretary Devendra Chaudhary.