The Union Government may extend the deadline fixed for implementing Schedule M in consideration of the desperate representations made by the small-scale drug units throughout the country. A decision in this regard will be taken in a fortnight, it is learnt. The extension 'may be for a term of two years', and not 2007 as demanded by the industry, top level industry sources indicated to Pharmabiz.

It is learnt that the Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj has assured a 'positive action' in this regard to the captains of the small scale pharmaceutical industry, and she is likely to discuss the issue with a 10 member high level delegation of the Confederation of Indian Pharmaceutical Industries (CIPI), the apex association of SSIs, and IDMA this week. The meeting is considered crucial in deciding the fate of extension. The SSIs have also represented their cause to the Union ministry of Small Scale Industries and the Union Minister for SSIs have assured full support in getting an extension to save 12,000 odd SSI pharma units from downing their shutters.

The industry is in the 'final lap of representing the cause' to get the extension and hectic activities and lobbying are going on. In a significant move, the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA) has joined hands with CIPI to augment the initiative. An official decision on this was taken at its Mumbai meeting last week. CIPI and IDMA, which has represented separate memorandum to the concerned ministers, are gearing up to meet the minister to 'present her a correct picture with statistics, and the impact that could happen with the decision'.

Further, the New Delhi branch and office of CIPI is trying to organize a large-scale seminar on the 'SSIs contribution to the pharma industry' this week in New Delhi, attended by Sushma Swaraj. The association is planning to ask majority of its members from different parts of the country to attend the seminar and interact with the minister.

Besides, over 12, 000 individual letters written by members of SSI units in the country, elaborating their plight, grievances and seeking an extension of the December, 31 2003 deadline, are getting ready to reach the Union Health Minister. Various pharmaceutical manufacturers associations in the state level are in the process of mobilizing the letters, and it is likely to be handed over to the minister at the meeting.

Top-level representatives of CIPI had also interacted on this matter with the Drug Controller of India Ashwini Kumar, when he was here in Chennai last week, said the sources.