Karnataka Drugs Control department has received a budget allocation of Rs 19.40 crore under the state budget allocation. Out of this allocation, Rs 8.60 crore is planned expenditure and the remaining Rs 10.80 crore is non planned outlay. The total allocation during the state budget this year to the departments of health & family welfare and Medical Education was Rs 2, 673 crore.

Last year, the state drugs department was sanctioned a planned expenditure of Rs 8 crore and the non-planned costs allocation was Rs 9.70 crore.

"Our focus with this year's budget allocation is to create better infrastructure for the drugs control department. This would help us to improve our efficiencies further, Dr BR Jagashetty, Karnataka Drugs controller told Pharmabiz.

The infrastructure development will cover the Drug Test Labs, corporate office and setting up own offices in the districts, he added.

The state currently has three drugs test labs (DTLs) at Bangalore, Hubli and Bellary. At Bellary and Hubli, analysis of cosmetics and medical devices respectively will receive Rs 7 crore for setting up new buildings which are expected to be completed by March 2011. In addition, the labs will have provision for six sections including chemistry, microbiology and pharmacology. Presently, the Hubli and Bellary labs are operational out of rented premises. Once the labs are ready, it will commence its services in medical devices and cosmetics testing, said Dr Jagashetty.

The DTL in Bangalore located within the Drugs Control office will require another Rs 54 lakh for completion. The tender has been allotted to the Karnataka Health System Development and Reforms Project (KSHSDRP).

The drugs control department is also on the look out for land to set up its own offices at districts. These will cover districts of Bagalkot, Gulbarga, Hubli, Mysore and Belgaum. The department had been able to acquire land at Mysore and Belgaum.

With the Government Pharmacy College coming under the purview of the Drugs Control department, there is a fund allocation to construct a hostel too.

The remaining funds will be utilized to upgrade the present corporate office and lab equipment purchase. The department is also looking at installing SAP to streamline and network operations. "We need web-based applications to speed up operations and bring in transparency at every level," said the State's drugs controller.

Efforts are also on to recruit staff. The department which has 370 vacancies is expected to fill up 250 of them this year. Sixty seven junior chemists have been called for interviews.