Dr BR Jagashetty, Karnataka drugs controller and Dr H G Koshia, commissioner, Gujarat FDCA, have won the Government of India's National  Award for e-governance, for the year 2012-13.

The Gold Award for XLN-Xtended licensing and laboratory node of sales has been honoured to both the state drugs controllers of Karnataka and Gujarat for the exemplary re-use of ICT based solutions, according to a communiqué from the Department of Administrative Reforms & PG, government of India.

The two state drugs control departments had embarked on computerization and networking of their offices enabling efficiency and transparency in services.

Specific to Karnataka state drugs control department,  it is now working to achieve the status of a total paperless environment. Currently, the department has ensured speedy approvals and the ability to track the files across the 30 districts which has helped to enhance the overall performance of not just the state drugs control department but the pharmacy trade and the pharma industry.

Further, it has also streamlined the licensing approvals online and commenced the short message service (SMS). “Karnataka is the third state in the country to adopt the electronic mode for issue and renewal of licenses after Gujarat and Maharashtra,” said Dr Jagashetty.

In October 2012, the department also went on to have a website 'www.drugs.kar.nic. developed by the National Informatics Bengaluru. It provides a list of the  176 blood banks and with  details of the blood and blood component availability along with the 24/7 list of the chemist and druggists outlets.  In addition, it gives information of the number of pharmaceutical, biotechnology and cosmetic companies engaged in the research, manufacture and marketing. There is also the list of over 26,000 pharmacy trade outlets across the state of Karnataka.