The Karnataka government has issued three orders to the state drugs control department including the notification of DPCO, 2013. The government has also given tentative clearance for the second government college of pharmacy in Gulbarga and setting up of generic drug stores in every taluk in the state.

The state government via its order No. HFW 164 IMM 2013 has notified the jurisdiction of drug control officers from drug inspectors to the drugs controller as per the clause 30 of the DPCO 2013. The notification confers state drugs control department to exercise its power of its 85 officials across the 30 districts to search, seize and recover drugs which are manufactured and sold from the production plants and pharmacy outlets. However, there are certain powers vested with the central government like the price fixation of drugs which do not come under the state drugs control department purview.

Karnataka is possibly the first state in the country where its government went on to notify the DPCO 2013, Dr BR Jagashetty, drugs controller, government of Karnataka told Pharmabiz.

Further, the state has also issued a tentative government order on the approval of the second government college of pharmacy (GCP) at Gulbarga. The new college will offer Pharm D which is a six year course, Pharm D of two years which is a post graduate course, M Pharm of two years, B Pharm of four years and D Pharm or the diploma course.

In the first year, it would offer B Pharm and D Pharm in a rented premises after it receives the clearance from the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE).

A project director will be appointed to oversee the college construction project. Further, government will also appoint 113 technical and 45 non technical staff taking the total personnel count to 158 personnel.

For this fiscal, the government has allocated funds to the tune of Rs.2.67 crore for the same. It has estimated non recurring expenses to the tune of Rs.18 crore and Rs.8 crore recurring expenses for the second government college.

In addition, to offer quality and affordable drugs, the state government has cleared the setting up of generic stores in 177 taluks. The reality is that generic drugs are priced 40-50 per cent lesser than branded medicines. Now the generic drugs will be available at prices 10-15 per cent of the original cost. All efforts will be made to ensure that the drugs are of high quality, stated the government order.

Now the state government will be chipping in 50 per cent of the investments as each generic store will require Rs.5.05 lakh investment.

The three announcements would now further spur the activities at the state drugs control department, said Dr Jagashetty.