The recently constituted Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) is all set to begin its industry service operations with senior professionals at the top functional platform. The new executives, who will be taking charge as different functional heads at the Council includes Dr P V Appaji, currently director of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Dr Srinivasan, former executive director, Chemexcil and another senior official from Plexconcil.

Dr PV Appaji, who is joining the Council as executive director comes on a three year deputation from NPPA, is a pharmaceutical industry expert and the EPC officials are experienced professionals in the field export related matters.

Dr Srinivasan has already taken charge as Advisor, Pharmexcil, and the other to top executives will take charge next month.

Apart from setting up the Council structure in a professional manner in accordance with the EPC law provisions of the Commerce Ministry, facilitating the membership services and to prepare projects for various government export promotions schemes according to the current market requirements and potential would be the key initial responsibilities of the top executives.

It may be recalled that the Union commerce ministry has recently asked Pharmexcil to submit its proposals for the Market Access Initiative (MAI) fund for the year 2004-05.

The MAI fund, which is extended for export promotion projects including market research, registration, studies to evolve strategies compatible with WTO norms, and other product development activities, has been recently revamped with much wider scope than the existing market development fund (MDA) by the government.

Early this year, the government had announced that it has decided to pump in nearly Rs 450 crore in the medium term for export marketing and sales promotion activities for various export sectors. For the revised MAI scheme, which is effective from April 1, 2004, the finance ministry has sanctioned Rs 140 crore during this financial year in total and it is learnt that a similar or higher budget is expected during the next couple of years too.

Speaking to Pharmabiz soon after a meeting with the joint secretary, Dept of Commerce, D B Modi, chairman, Pharmexcil, said that the revamped MAI scheme will focus on sustained export promotion efforts, rather than one-time projects like participation in an overseas trade fair.

"Moreover, funds will be spent only on focused markets and products that are identified by the commerce department. Assistance from the MAI scheme will be routed through government departments and organisations, export promotion councils, commodity boards and recognised industry chambers," he said.

He added that individual exporters can access the scheme for registration of pharmaceuticals, bio-tech products in select markets. Whereas, the rules for MDA, under which nearly Rs 25 crore per annum will be spent from '04-05 onwards, have been tightened to get a better value for money.

The MDA, which is meant for small exporters with a turnover of up to Rs 5 crore per annum, this scheme will now fund only promotion efforts aimed at the Latin American, African, CIS and Asean markets. However, participation in fairs in other countries will be promoted in a limited manner, it is learnt.