As many as 811 small scale pharma units in the country have implemented revised Schedule M norms so far after the State Drug Control Authorities enforced the provisions, with Gujarat leading the list with 407 units.

According to the latest details furnished by the States with the Union Health Ministry, as many as 788 units have either cancelled or suspended operations after the Government revised the norms in 2001 and three and half years time was given for implementation to the units.

Over 150 units are in the process of implementing Schedule M to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules which prescribed good manufacturing practices and that finally came into effect from July 2005, sources said.

As many as 15 States have forwarded the details about the implementation of provisions to the Centre so far. Gujarat led the tally with 407 units now under Schedule M practices. At the same time, 176 units did not comply with the norms so far and 198 were exempted while 64 units cancelled the process during the process.

In Haryana, 111 units implemented the same while 39 expressed unwillingness to do it. While 21 units suspended the process, 23 others cancelled the process, the statistics said, in Uttar Pradesh, 126 units and in Goa 35 units implemented the same. As many as 83 SSI units and 11 from Kerala complied with the norms. In Maharashtra, 31 units and in Uttaranchal two units put the GMP into practice.

As many as 55 units are in the process of implementing the same as of now. Among them, 70 are in Haryana, 38 in Maharashtra, 13 in Goa, 16 in Kerala and 11 in Jharkahnd. In Sikkim, five and in Uttaranchal two are also in the process.

The Centre also made it clear to the States and associations concerned that the enforcement of Schedule M cannot be kept in abeyance any further as of now and all manufacturing units should comply with the same.

In Madhya Pradesh where none of the small scale units went for the Schedule M norms, 40 units stopped manufacturing and 40 others suspended operations after the provisions came into force.

In Karnataka also none of the units complied with the requirements while 45 were given notices. As many as 18 units stopped production and 22 units informed that they could not implement the new norms.