To expedite the process of granting drug manufacturing licenses, the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has been able to grant a total of 2,56,750 product licenses and 450 plus manufacturing licenses through its first-of -its kind online platform - DMLA software in the country.

As of today, there are a total 3,56,750 product licences and 1,259 manufacturing licencees in the state of Gujarat.  

The DMLA online platform has been utilised only by Gujarat FDCA in the country since its development in 2011 jointly by Gujarat FDCA and National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Gujarat FDCA Commissioner Dr H G Koshia while talking about Gujarat’s pharma industry landscape apprised Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan about the online platform at the recently concluded drug consultative committee (DCC) meet in New Delhi.

He said that DMLA online platform has not been replicated across the country and has been an incentive for Gujarat drug manufacturers in a major way. Gujarat FDCA has also been able to dispose of over 35,000 applications related to issuing licenses to wholesalers and retailers online till date in a time bound manner since the introduction of online Extended Licensing Node (XLN) system set up in the state in 2007.

Following Gujarat online licensing model for sales licenses, 16 states replicated the model in the country. There are 37,000 retail and wholesale licensees in the state of Gujarat. At the time of introduction of the online system, there were 15,000 registered sale licensees in the state, which have also been digitised.

With the implementation of the online system, the process is now paperless and less time consuming. It is easier for the regulator and licensee to track the process of scrutiny through a seamless online documentation process till final issuance of license.

Gujarat government has also revised timelines for grant of manufacturing licenses and renewal of licenses to 60 days and that of grant and renewal of sale licenses to 30 days as part of Pharma Vision 2020 under the Right of Citizens to Services for speedy issuance of licenses.

Gujarat FDCA has also approved the plant design of around 80 new manufacturing facilities through its plant approval committee in the past six months as part of ease of doing business in the country. This is aimed at bringing foreign investments in the country and accelerate the Make in India campaign.