The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is evaluating the working of the 'Pharmaceutical Promotion and Development Scheme (PPDS)' during the current five year plan period with the help of an agency.

The Scheme, which has been sanctioned Rs.10 crore for the plan period, aims at the promotion, development and export promotion in the pharmaceutical sector. It supports activities for the pharma sector by promoting seminars, conferences, exhibitions, mounting delegations to and from India for promotion of exports as well as investments, conducting studies/ consultancies, for facilitating growth, exports as well as critical issues affecting the sector.

According to the note by the DoP, only 38 per cent of the total Rs.1 crore allocation was spent during the last financial year. During the previous three years, the DoP sanctioned 16 projects mainly as assistance to major trade bodies like FICCI, CII and Pharmexcil in connection with exhibitions and events.

During the year of 2009-10, the DoP sanctioned Rs.97.36 lakhs out of the total allocation of Rs.2 crore. During 2010-11, it spent only Rs.66.19 lakhs out of the total sanctioned amount of Rs.1.25 crore while the spending during 2011-12 was Rs.81.57 lakhs, out of the approved allocation of Rs.1 crore. During the current financial year, Rs.2 crore has been allocated for the purpose.

The consultancy, to be commissioned for the evaluation, will prepare evaluation benchmarks of progress and performance of the scheme, assess the extent to which the scheme has fulfilled its objective(s), assess the success rate of implementation with the objective for the further extension of scheme during the next Five Year Plan, and phase expenditure in the XII Plan under the scheme, according to the terms and conditions.

“The duration of the completion of the evaluation study is three months from the date of commencement of the assignment. The draft report should be submitted by the end of the two months. After receiving the final draft report from the Govt., the agency should submit the final report within one month from the date of its approval,” said the tender document.