Impressed with the e-governance model implemented by the Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA), Gujarat, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has expressed his interest to adapt same model in the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). He also invited the state FDCA's top official to present the model at the next Drug Consultative Committee (DCC) meeting for the benefit of drug regulators in other states.
The DCGI, who visited the FDCA, Gujarat, office, has appreciated the efforts of the state regulator at the recently held Pharmac 2009 – the first ever pharma exhibition conducted by the Gujarat State Board of the Indian Drug Manufacturer's Association. In his address to the industry and the state regulatory officials, he cheered the FDCA officials and invited the commissioner of FDCA to give a presentation of the model in the next DCC meeting.
“We are very happy to hear such words from the top official of the nations drug regulatory body. It is our pride and duty to share the e-governance and modernisation model we have implemented in the state with our fellow officers in other states,” said H G Koshia, commissioner, FDCA, Gujarat.
The 'Gujarat model' of office mordenisation and e-governance module has been under implementation for the past three to four years. Gujarat is the first state in the country which has implemented online issuance of sales license and other certificates. The FDCA has established online systems in each of its district offices and has developed an intranet service system to hasten the communication between the officials and has commenced issuing sales licenses and certificates like Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (CoPP) through online, over a year ago.
The FDCA, which has developed the softwares for operations in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the IT firm under the Government of India, is currently in the final stage of launching a new system to issue product licenses online. The administration has already uploaded almost 90 per cent of the product information on the medicines and related pharma products available in the state in a new software. The office expects to complete the works within a couple of months and to commence issuing product licenses for companies online soon, informs Koshia.
The Gujarat government, which has been implementing various policy measures and conducting investor meets like the biannual summit - Vibrant Gujarat, has also increased its budget allocation for FDCA is the past years to hasten the modernisation and e-governance programme. The government has allocated Rs 16.9 crore for the FDCA in the financial year 2007-08 and has increased it to Rs 22 crore for the current fiscal. The administration is expected to receive a budget allocation of Rs 33 crore in the financial year 2010-11.
As reported, the FDCA is also planning to increase its staff strength with around 215 people in the coming months to improve its performance in regulating the fast growing pharma industry in the state. An increase in budget allocation would help the administration to implement the plans as early as possible, added Koshia.