The proposed survey of small scale drugs and pharma units in the country to assess the impact of the implementation of the Schedule M norms is still stuck up with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). The ministry of MSME is trying to pass the bucks on to the health ministry although Parliamentary panel had clearly suggested the MSME to take up the task.

The MSME, which held a couple of meetings in this regard and sought the assistance of the Drugs Controller General for compiling information, could not go ahead further citing the reasons of insufficient infrastructure and manpower for the task. The fate of the survey, which was to be launched months back, is still thus unknown, though letters still are being sent from MSME to the health ministry and vice versa. Though the DCGI, as per the request from the MSME, sent letters to the State licensing authorities to collect the names of the units closed following the implementation of the Schedule M, the office of the DCGI is yet to get the feedback from most of the States, sources said.

The goal of the survey is to collect information on the total number of pharma units including state-wise break-up, total number of Schedule M compliant units, names of units with full addresses which have been closed since July 1, 2005 due to the non-compliance of Schedule M norms, cases in which licenses have been surrendered by the manufacturers, and cases in which licenses have been suspended or cancelled by the authorities due to the non-compliance of revised norm.

The 181st report of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Rajya Sabha, had called for such a survey after the panel found that the SME units were under considerable financial strain due to the Schedule M norms introduced from 2005. And the health ministry is supposed to forward its action on the recommendation of the panel so that it could be included in the next Action Taken Report.