The Union Chemicals and Fertilizers ministry has invited Expression of Interest from professional infrastructure developers and financers for the setting up of Integrated Pharma Parks in the country. The ministry has indicated that it aims at the development of 25 pharma parks with world-class infrastructure over the next five years. This includes the pharma parks being planned in the special economic zones (SEZs).

According to the ministry, the idea is to develop separate parks for bulk drugs and formulations where 40% of cost of each Park, upto Rs 40 cr., could be provided by the government. The centre plans to implement these through project specific special purpose vehicles (SPVs) of the entrepreneurs.

The Expression of Interest is meant to involve professional agencies in the whole planning exercise.

The draft Pharma Policy 2006 revealed by the Chemicals Ministry recently also talked about building world-class infrastructure to enable India to achieve a leading position as the drug maker of the world.

It has also said that special parks, with prior environmental clearance can help save bulk drug units from many a trouble. The policy had also noted the importance of SPVs, where Central Government, State Governments and industry are participants. The scheme proposed in the policy was on the lines of the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks.

The broad policy outline states that each park would be set up in a minimum area of 250 acres of land for bulk and 100 acres for formulations. It would be expected to have about 50 to 100 units, investment of 1000 crore to Rs 2000 crore and likely employment of about 20,000 persons. The policy states that the scheme is to be implemented through SPVs with Industry Associations to be the main promoters. It also talks about an MoU with a leading professional body/consultant to act as Project Management Consultant.

The draft policy, which was forwarded for comments from the Departments of Commerce, Environment and Health, also suggested the setting up of pharma SEZ with the minimum size criterion of 50 hectares for the next 3 years.