Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on May 31, 2020, interacted with the captains of the Pharmaceutical industry, and Office-bearers of the Pharma Associations, through the Video Conference. The meeting was attended by Ministers of State H S Puri and Som Parkash, Secretaries of the Department of Commerce, and Pharmaceuticals, and Officers from Departments of Commerce, Pharmaceuticals and Health.
During his interaction, Goyal lauded the pharma industry for making India proud by rising to the occasion during the Covid crisis. He said that India has been recognised as the ‘Pharmacy of the World’ as over 120 countries got some essential medicine during the last two months with 40 of them getting them in the form of grant, free of cost.
He said that during the crisis, the officials of DGFT, MEA, Health, and DoP burnt midnight oil to ensure that the export consignments are delivered at the earliest. The whole world appreciated India’s gesture, and this has swelled India’s goodwill and reputation. He said that India had adequate production capacity and abundant stock of HCQ and PCM for its projected domestic requirements, and putting restrictions on their exports was to ensure that the medicine are made available to all the needy nations, and no unscrupulous element stocks them for unwarranted gains, according to a PIB release.
The Pharma industry received accolades from the Minister for their extra-ordinary performance in ensuring that the Country did not face any type of shortage of medicine during this period. Goyal said that early announcement of the lockdown helped the country in preventing and containing the scourge of pandemic, and also scaling up the health infrastructure and build capacity, besides generating awareness among the people about the precautions and preventive measures. He said that India has set an example, under the able guidance and leadership of PM Narendra Modi in being pro-active in management of Covid-19, and also following it up with welfare and relief packages for mitigating its consequences.
Goyal assured the industry that the Government will fully support the industry in its expansion, diversification and strengthening. He said that the industry has an important role to play in the Aatamnirbhar Bharat campaign. The country should become Aatmanirbhar in APIs as early as possible, as the government has taken a number of steps in this regard. It has already approved the scheme on Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks for financing Common Infrastructure Facilities in 3 Bulk Drug Parks.
The Minister said that anti-dumping investigation process has been expedited. The Minister said that in case of ongoing bilateral FTAs, if any roadblock or unfair competition is noticed, the Government may be informed and prompt remedial action will be taken.