The Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association, which serves as a catalyst for the growth of the pharma industry, has sought a total revamp of the state pharma policy and has appealed to the state government for improving infrastructure facilities and easing regulations for encouraging investments in the state pharma industry.

The first and foremost among the problems faced by the pharma companies is the availability of power. As most of the pharma firms are power- intensive, they are incurring huge costs to install power back-up facilities. The government should look in to this matter seriously and provide uninterrupted power supply which is critical especially for the formulations industry, the association pointed out.

Another important concern for bulk drug manufacturing industries is the lack of availability of sufficient water and effluent treatment plants. The state government should come forward to construct a common effluent treatment plant and also encourage more investors by way of announcing liberal incentives.

Secondly, the logistics in the state is not well developed. Despite having an international airport in the state, there is no container cargo facility at shamshabad airport to export pharma products directly to

international markets. There are very few direct international flights from the state. The frequencies of freight trains to destinations like Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore from Hyderabad are very few. The internal roads and railways are not well equipped to transport costly drugs and chemicals faster and safer to the intended destinations. Due to lack of transport logistics, the pharma industry is incurring huge costs as it is forced to go to Chennai or Mumbai where consignments are given second or third priority.

Apart from improving infrastructure facilities, the BDMA has also called for a total lift of ban on expansions and new products. The Bulk Drug Association of AP has sought less stringent and transparent procedures for issuing fresh and renewed licenses.

“We have held a series of meetings with DCA officials during the last few months and have pointed out 22 stages in the procedure as irrelevant. Unlike in the past, today the industry has adopted most modern and sophisticated equipment because of which these procedures stand irrelevant. So we have demanded the DCA to reduce the number of steps in issuing of new licenses or renewals of drugs. Earlier it used to take 3-5 months for getting permits from the regulatory authorities, but because of our initiatives it has now been reduced to 1-1.5 months,” said K.V.Rangarao ex ED BDMA.