Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA) and the Alathur Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (APMA) have moved an appeal to the state government to reconsider the proposal to have a modern pharmaceutical park.

The proposal for Pharma Park, with modern infrastructure facilities to act as a hub for the small scale industry, has been submitted by the APMA in a meeting with TANSTIA and the Director of Industries and Commerce last week. The APMA sources informed Pharmabiz that the proposal, which had rejected by the past government in January, is under consideration of the Industries Commissioner and the association hopes a positive decision.

The project, drawn up by the APMA and the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation Ltd. (SIDCO), in the year 2000, suggests introduction of new infrastructure like research oriented herbal analysis facility including pre-clinical research laboratory, common laboratory for total analysis of allopathic and ayurvedic products, setting up of counselling facility for entrepreneurs and training centre for young pharmacists and chemists in the pharma park.

The pharma park proposed to provide central excise and sales tax consultancy, guidance in procurement of raw materials and packing materials for both allopathic and ayurvedic drugs to promote production of low cost competitive products, exports and to act as a pool for the machinery manufacturers and allied sectors to target their customers. The project also suggested that the park would support the companies in solving regulatory issues, attracting investments and shall publish articles related to health, medicine and employment opportunities.

Though the project has been submitted in 2000, in a letter to the Managing Director of SIDCO dated January 5, 2006, the government rejected the proposal without showing any reason. It is to be noted that the proposal had been submitted with reference to the announcement of the then Tamil Nadu minister for Health Arcot N Veerasamy on need for a pharma park in the state. Interestingly, Veerasamy is the minister for Electricity and Rural Industry in the present ministry.

"Our proposal was to upgrade the existing 150 acre SIDCO pharmaceutical estate in Alathur with an additional area of 75 acres to support the SSI pharma units to grow up with the help of government. Our hopes are afresh with the TANSTIA's endeavour to support the proposals," told S.Lakshminarayanan, Secretary, APMA.

The project envisaged accomplishing with an investment of around Rs.300 crore, in which the APMA took the responsibility to provide Rs.67 crore and Rs.250 crore has to be allotted by the state government. In a letter to APMA, the TANSTIA also conveyed its high hopes that the government of Tamil Nadu will take up the matter soon.