The Small and Medium Pharmaceutical Industry Centre (SMPIC), a body set up at NIPER to help the SME sector, has finally taken off with the consultative committee holding the first meeting and deciding to redraft the training modules and extend maximum benefits to the sector.

After the centre was created in February 2009, nothing much had happened though the SME sector had been pressing to make it on stream at the earliest. However, after the consultative committee formed with senior industry leader, Lalit Kumar Jain as its chairman, the centre seems to be taking off for the good of the SME sector, handicapped by the lack of training among other difficulties.

The panel held its first meeting on March 26 at Mohali and decided to set up a four-member committee to redraft all the training modules on all required aspects like GMP for the SME sector. The panel will submit its report by April 12. Likewise, the consultative committee also called for filling up the vacancies in NIPER as there is staff shortage for BE studies. The committee, attended by almost all the members and senior CDSCO officials like Dr D Roy and drug controllers of Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, discussed about the membership fees, budget for the next year, website, refresher courses for the SME staff, training topics, training calendar etc. it is learnt.

SMPIC was established, after continuous efforts by senior leaders like Lalit Jain, on public private mode and as a bridge between the government, SME pharma industry and the academia at NIPER to make India a hub of quality and affordable medicines. It would give 50 per cent concession on all projects, services etc. at NIPER to the SME sector. In short, it was meant to address all the problems of the sector, including know-how and regulatory information, under one roof.

The next meeting of the consultative committee will be held on May 7 as the panel wanted to ensure the gains of the centre to the industry at the earliest. The members of the panel included P S Chhatwal of Torque Pharmaceuticals, Rajesh Madan of Medicaman Biotech, Aparjita Thakar of Lark Laboratories, Saurabh Gupta of Jocund India, B R Sikri of Nextwave Ltd, Bhavin Mehta of Kilitch Drugs, and Anjana Roy of R L Fine Chem. Besides it has one member each from Medicinal Chemistry Pharmaceutics Department, Technical upgradation centre, Biotechnology Department, Pharmaceuticals Analysis Department, CIL, Computer Centre and Administrative / Financial Supports Department at the Centre. One representative each of CDSCO North Zone, Haryana, Punjab and HP drug controllers, and representative of Ministry of DOP, MSME are also part of the panel while Dr Sanjay Jachak, associate professor of Natural Products Department is the convenor.