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The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers has recently directed the Department of Pharmaceuticals to fix all the issues related to the implementation of the PRIP (Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma Med-Tech) scheme at the earliest. The panel’s directive comes in the wake of the fact that the scheme has been facing challenges in its implementation ever since it was launched by the Central government to transform the Indian pharma and Med-Tech sectors from cost-based to innovation-based growth by strengthening the research infrastructure in the country. The scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet almost 18 months back, in July, 2023, with a budget outlay of Rs. 5,000 crore, was aimed at promoting industry-academia linkage for research & development in priority areas and to inculcate the culture of quality research and nurture the nation's pool of scientists. The scheme was notified on August 17, 2023 and was launched by the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers the next month itself. The panel, headed by Lok Sabha member Kirti Azad Jha, in its fifth report on the Demands for Grants of the DoP for the fiscal year 2024-25 submitted in the Lok Sabha recently, observed that for the year 2023-24, the DoP sought no funds in the Budget estimate stage, but in the revised estimate stage for the year, an amount of Rs. 1 crore was allocated. However, the actual expenditure during the year was zero. In the year 2023-24, engaging a Project Management Agency (PMA) as per the scheme guidelines was planned by the DoP and finally a tender in this regard was floated but due to non-receipt of any valid response, the tender could not be utilized. It was under these circumstances the Committee recommended that all the issues involved in the scheme should be fixed at the earliest.
No doubt, the PRIP scheme, if implemented in letter and spirit, would have promoted industry-academia linkage for R&D in priority areas. This would have led to sustained global competitive advantage and contribute to quality employment generation in the country. By providing a conducive environment for innovative research, India can effectively leverage its scientific talent to generate ground-breaking solutions to address pressing global medical challenges. Certainly, focusing on certain priority areas would have helped Indian pharma industry leapfrog and radically strengthen its position in the world market and building world class research atmosphere at NIPERs by establishing Centres of Excellence (CoEs) would have resulted in a talent pool of qualified scientists. But the DoP is facing challenges in the implementation of the scheme which was launched to promote research and innovation in pharmaceuticals. The government had committed Rs. 5,000 crores over five years under this scheme to build an advanced R&D infrastructure across the country. This scheme proposed CoEs in the seven existing National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs). It was also to provide financial assistance for research in six priority areas of new chemical and biological entities; complex generics and biosimilars; precision medicines; medical devices; orphan drugs; and drug development for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The scheme set forth a three-pronged strategy while fostering an environment that nurtures innovation. The first strategy revolved around cultivating a regulatory framework that facilitates R&D. This entails streamlining approvals, minimizing bureaucratic hurdles, and expediting the regulatory process. The second strategic pillar focused on incentivizing both public and private investments in research and innovation through a judicious blend of fiscal and non-fiscal measures. Financial incentives like tax benefits and grants can act as catalysts for increased investments in R&D. The third and equally vital component of the scheme centred around establishing an enabling ecosystem that nourishes innovation and translational research, and setting up a robust institutional foundation for sustainable growth. The DoP should now leave no stone unturned to implement the scheme in letter and spirit.
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