The pharmaceutical association of Telangana (TPA) has demanded the state government of Telangana to come up with a comprehensive pharma and biotechnology policy to attract more investors and enhance growth in this sector.

At present there are 412 pharma companies and 173 bulk drug units in Telangana state. Earlier the total count was about 1500 pharma firms in the united Andhra Pradesh. In the year 2005 about 300 firms had shifted to tax incentive states like Uttarkhand, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Now that the State of Andhra Pradesh is divided into two, the Telangana Pharmaceutical Association fear that the remaining firms may also shift their bases to Andhra state, as the AP government has been luring with numerous incentives and benefit packages for the investors.

In view of this, the TPA has demanded the Telangana Medical, Health and Family welfare Minister Dr.T.Rajaiah to come out with a comprehensive pharma policy and announce incentives and tax exemptions. The association has also demanded to increase more number of public private partnership programme to attract new investor and at the same time retain the existing companies in the state.

The Telangana Pharma Association’s President Sanjay Reddy approached the Health Minister of the new Telangana government, and had asked to look into the existing issues of the pharma sector.

Mr. Sanjay Reddy said, “Telangana stands third in the country with a 5.5 per cent contribution in the pharmacy sector. This contribution must not come down, but must be further enhanced. For this the government must understand the requirements of the industry and provide the benefits.”

The association has put up several demands among which tax incentives, exemptions and also increasing public-private partnerships are stressed upon. Another issue that it has raised is the re-organisation of the Pollution Control Board.

A senior official of the Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association said, “The present infrastructure of Pollution control board is not adequate in the state. Time and again issues relating to pollution are raised in the state. The affluent treatment plants at present are not sufficient to treat the pollution generated by the pharma and bulk drug companies. So the PCB along with the government should come forward to support setting up of more affluent plants by the companies. The cost of setting up the plant is `20 lakh. When such heavy expenses are incurred, the board must act as an enforcement agency.

The problem of pollution is a major concern as many of manufacturers do not follow the required standards. For over 173 companies, there are only six effluent treatment plants in the state. These are the concerns raised by the government department as land, water and also air is affected when good industrial practices are flouted.