Despite in-principle approval by the Planning Commission, the long-pending scheme to build a robust and responsive statistical system for the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is stuck halfway as a couple of crucial studies are yet to be completed.

ICRA Management Consulting Services Limited, which was entrusted by the NPPA, is yet to submit the final reports on the first pharmaceutical census and collection of annual turnover data from the bulk drug manufacturing units, thus delaying the final approval and implementation of the scheme called 'Building Robust & responsive statistical system for NPPA', it is learnt.

The scheme, one of the five long pending schemes to strengthen the NPPA, got in-principle approval from the Commission way back in March 2008. The First Pharmaceutical Census of India (FPCI) was commenced in April 2008. Initially, a “Directory of Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Units in India 2007” was prepared which served as the Universe Frame for the above census. It contains data such as addresses and contact details of 10563 allopathic pharmaceutical manufacturing units.

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) was entrusted to collect data from the manufacturing units concurrently with their 4th All India Census of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The schedules were not filled up for all the manufacturing units.

“ICRA Management Consulting Services Limited was awarded contract in the month of August and November 2010 in respect of First Pharmaceutical Census of India and Collection of annual turnover data from the Bulk Drug manufacturing units,” sources clarified.

ICRA Management was specifically commissioned for processing of data collected by MSME for 6262 schedules to generate about 16 tables, generate PMI and submission of report, collection of data from the left over Units (4301), amalgamation of both sets of data and writing final report based on processing the data.

In the first phase, ICRA was required to generate Pharmaceutical Map of India and generate about 16 tables from the canvassed Schedules of MSME.  ICRA has submitted an interim report giving the Pharmaceutical Map of India and also 13 tables generated from data collected by MSME.

With regard to the second study, ICRA Management was entrusted to carry out a detailed nationwide survey to collect data on annual turnover of bulk drugs manufactured in India. The agency submitted a preliminary report bringing out the methodology of survey and problems being faced by them in getting the data for the study.

“ICRA Management is yet to submit its report in respect of both these studies. These studies are likely to be completed by the end of this financial year,” sources claimed.