The Bihar Drugs and Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (BDPMA) has elected Sanjiv Rai, managing director of Ornate Labs Pvt Ltd, Muzaffarpur, president of BDPMA for the term 2017-18. Rai was working as the general secretary of the association till last month.

The annual general body of the association, held at the premises of Asklepios Remedies in Patna unanimously elected him the new president, and Gopal Bijay Verma as the general secretary. Birendra Prasad and A K Madhukar are the new vice-presidents.

Nand Kizhore Prasad, former secretary to the association has now become the treasurer of the association. Satyendra Kumar and Ahmad Faraz will work as joint secretaries.

The general body has wanted the government of Bihar to adopt an exclusive pharma policy for the state. In a resolution passed by the AGM to be submitted to the government said if the 150 drug manufacturing units in the state are given adequate support, the state can become self-sufficient for the total requirement of medicines for the state’s healthcare needs. All the units are in the MSME sector and most of them are complying with GMP standards.

The general body has decided to approach the government seeking solutions for the industry problems. The meeting observed that it was too difficult to get manufacturing licences and renewal of licences from the offices of the drugs control administration. Along with meeting the government, BDPMA will send a letter signed by all the manufacturers to the state director of drugs control department for grant of licences without delay. The association wants the government to intervene in the matter.

To strengthening the technical knowhow of the company staff, the association will hold one workshop in Patna on the 18th of this month, said the new president.

He said the AGM has elected eight members to the general council of the association. Ajay Kumar, Binay Kumar Singh, Dr. Aravind Kumar, Upendra Kumar, Suresh Chaurasia, Birendra Kumar, N.K. Verma and Sashi Kant Singh are the council members.

Jagjit Singh and Basant Kumar Singh from nearby districts are special invitees to the meeting.