The Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association (BDMA) and Ramky Pharma City (India) Ltd (RPCIL) along with Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) have finalised sale and development agreements.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has facilitated these arrangements after long discussions between the developers of the Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City and member industries of BDMA with manufacturing base in the state. Under these agreements, about 450 acres of land will be sold to the Association's members at concessional rates.

The State Government has also exempted about 50 per cent of conversion charges payable by RPCIL to Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority for setting up the Pharma City at Parawada near Visakhapatnam.

Ayodhya Rami Reddy, chairman of Ramky Group, said that Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City has made considerable progress in obtaining statutory clearances. Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has awarded the consent of Establishment following a public hearing.

The ministry of environment has also held two meetings with the developers and consultants on the issue of environmental clearance. RPCIL and APIIC had sought a waiver of environmental clearance for individual industries under the cluster concept, he added.

The Pharma City is conceived to be India's first product specific industrial theme park exclusively to house bulk drugs and allied chemical manufacturing industries being developed in 2,120 acres by Ramky in association with APIIC with an equity of 89 per cent and 11 per cent respectively on public-private partnership (PPP) model on build own operate (BOO) basis. The foundation stone for this project was laid during the end of September 2004.