Having the Local Organising Committee (LOC) formed with DCGI Dr Surinder Singh as its chairman, the preparations for the next Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC) scheduled in Delhi under the aegis of the Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association (IPGA) from December 12 to 14 have been intensified.

The first meeting of the LOC was held here on May 18 to formally kick off the preparations in right earnest and the IPGA president A K Nasa was named as the organizing secretary, apart from finalizing the DCGI as the chairman. The LOC includes the leaders of allied organisations, officials from the government and prominent names from industry under different committees. Netaji Subash Chandra Institute of Technology, at the booming township of Dwaraka in the national capital, was fixed as the venue for the prestigious event, organizers said.

The central council of the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association (IPCA) will meet here on May 31 to fix the exact congress theme, broadly connected with the Pharma Vision 2020. Besides, the exhibition in connection with the IPC has been allocated to FICCI this year too. Former DCGI Dr M Venkeshwarulu had been earlier chosen as the president of the IPCA, the apex body representing pharmacists, regulatory authorities, academicians, manufacturers and other players.

"We are right on the track and all preparations are going in the right direction as it is our prime focus now. We are expecting around 6000 delegates for the congress as it is being held in the national capital after a long gap,'' Nasa told Pharmabiz.

The previous IPC at Varanasi with `Pharma Vision 2020: product, patient, practice', hosted by the Department of Pharmaceuticals of the Banaras Hindu University saw around 5000 delegates. However, the organizers are looking to have more delegates this time and elaborate arrangements were being mounted in advance to make it a success.