The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has earmarked 2,350 acres of land for setting up mega drug parks as part of its ambitious bid to boost manufacturing and make the state a market leader in pharmaceutical and medical devices production.
The government has roped in top scientific institutions, including the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), as knowledge partners to develop low-cost drugs and medical devices.
“These partnerships will foster research on innovative drugs and medical devices for the diagnosis and treatment of severe and chronic diseases in India, as well as almost 200 other countries,” a senior government official said.
The 2,000-acre Lalitpur park is the flagship project of the government. It will be dedicated to bulk drugs, starting from raw materials and active pharmaceuticals under the state’s new pharma policy. The state has signed up Adani Gas for supplying piped natural gas to this park.
The third medical project entails a modern biotech park in Pilibhit to aid in cutting down on import of fermentation-based goods.
“The state should push ‘Make in UP’ in different sectors to achieve its $1 trillion economy target and boost employment generation to retain the talent pool,” Association of Indian Manufacturers (AIM) national president Manmohan Agarwal said.
Under its pharma sector roadmap, UP aims to increase its contribution to India’s pharma industry from 2 per cent to 10-12 per cent. India is the global leader in generic medicines by volume, commanding a 20 per cent market share.
