The Indian Drug Manufacturers Association 's National SSI Committee has plans to launch a series of programmes for the benefit of 'SSI units with a progressive outlook' by conducting technical and marketing seminars and measures like helping to utilize their available spare capacity.

As per a proposal pending for approval from IDMA, the SSI members of the association may be allocated separate pages in the IDMA website detailing the production capacity and core competencies, including the spare capacity available. Since the IDMA website has popularity among pharma firms even from outside the country, the members could be able to grab excellent outsourcing contracts, S V Veeramani, chairman, SSI National sub-committee IDMA told Pharmabiz.

Further, IDMA is organizing a few technical seminars with the theme "Schedule M Upgradation For Progressive SSI units" at Chennai, Delhi, Calcutta and Ahmadabad. The Mumbai event was held recently with a participation of over 200 units. The seminar in Chennai will be held on 19th of June at Ambassador Pallava hotel, followed by Ahemadabad in July and Kolkotha and Delhi in August.

He said the seminars are based on a survey conducted by IDMA among its SSI member units who elaborated their requirements, apprehensions and feedback related to Schedule M implementation by answering a questionnaire circulated to the members. Based on the survey, the IDMA identified five areas namely documentation and validation, water systems, air handling, plant lay out, finance and marketing opportunities as their main concerns and the seminars would focus on these aspects.

Followed by this, IDMA has plans to organize a series of seminars at various places to help the SSIs professionalize and improve their marketing network in tune to the challenges of the future markets. Further, IDMA will constitute a panel of consultants for technical and finance aspects related to the SSI sector, at places like Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahemadabad, said Veeramani, who is also vice president (South Zone) of IDMA.

He said IDMA has reduced the admission fee by Rs.1000 to help more members enroll with the association. At present IDMA has about 400 SSI members out of a total of 550 members. IDMA will continue to work in tandem with other SSI organizations in the country for the betterment of the SSI sector. Though IDMA had an SSI sub-committee earlier, the National SSI committee was formed early this year to pay more attention to the problems of the SSI sector especially in the wake of the crisis related to Schedule M mandate of the Government, said Veeramani.