The newly-elected government in Andhra Pradesh would continue the already initiated pharmaceutical industry projects like the Pharma City, Centre for Excellence in Pharmaceutical Research etc with the same priority that the former government provided. Also, the government will carry forward the support to the establishment of the newly formed Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil).

In a meeting convened by Dr YSR Reddy, who is going to form the new government in the State, with the industry leaders, he assured the pharmaceutical industry stakeholders that since the sector is one of the key growth areas in AP, no government can ignore it and his government will try to strengthen the industry more.

While commenting about the new political development and the impact of the same in the industry front, Venkat Jasti, president, Bulk Drug Manufacturers' Association (BDMA) and vice chairman, Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) said that none of the industry projects and the promotion schemes introduced during the former government will be affected by the government change.

"The new government would rather take up these industry achievements to the overall growth of the State and which can extend to the rural areas for the benefit of the farmers and the common man," he added.

It may be recalled that the former government of Chandrababu Naidu had prioritized the pharmaceutical and biotech industry was to be taken on the fast track of growth and thereby initiated many promotional schemes and projects in the State. The construction work of the proposed Ramky Pharma City near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh is to begin within one month and the project would be ready for by April 2005. About 65 per cent of the land will be allotted to industries, where they can build their own facilities and 35 per cent of area is kept for development of common infrastructure.

Following the request from the regional pharma exporters, the former government had also sanctioned the required corpus fund of Rs 3 crore and the infrastructure support for the new Export Promotion Council, which is to be operational soon. The former government had also announced various incentives to small and medium pharma companies to comply with the GMP and modernization requirements in addition to the special schemes for the research oriented pharma and biotechnology companies in the State.