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The state government of Telangana has blamed the central government’s indifferent attitude towards Hyderabad Pharma City project. While airing his views, the IT and Industries Minister K. Taraka Rama Rao, during the world economic forum meet in Davos, observed that central government’s policies are hindering investors to invest in Pharma City because of which the life sciences sector in the state is being meted with step motherly attitude by the central government, blamed the Industries Minister.
Airing similar views about the delay in development of Pharma city project, members of Bulk Drugs Manufacturing Association (BDMA) also said that the Pharma city project, which was proposed to be declared as National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) was getting delayed to get approval from the central government. This has become a major stumbling block for investors to come forward to express their intent to invest in the Pharma City project.
In fact, the Pharma City project which was proposed to be developed across 19,000 acres is going to be developed Asia’s largest highly advanced and integrated pharmaceutical clusters that would encapsulate not just bulk drug and formulations, but research institutions, academic institutions and India’s first Pharma University.
Despite all the odds, the Telangana government which had taken up the Pharma city project as a prestige had already begun its first phase of development over 8000 acres by Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation. Already the TSIIDC has built the basic infrastructure facilities like building roads, laying power lines, sewerage drainage system and a common effluent treatment plants so as to enable the newly established units to plug and play in the pharma city project.
According to sources from the Industries department, it was told that at least 300 pharma companies from across India and globally have expressed their intent to set up their units in the Pharma city project. However, the state government is said to have given clearance for 150 pharma companies to set up their units in the first phase and the remaining are expected to set up their units in the subsequent phases.
“The pharmaceutical sector in Telangana is a robust one and it has gained enough ground to steer the global exports from India. In fact, Hyderabad alone contributes more than 30 per cent of India’s bulk drugs and of late the city of Hyderabad is also exhibiting well on the biotechnology front and has emerged as India’s global hub for vaccine manufacturing and exporting to more than 180 countries. We are fortunate enough that the state government is pro active to heed the problems of pharma industry and is taking up various initiatives. The government had already proposed to move all the red category industries outside of outer ring road. The pharma city project is also one of the most promising clusters which the entire pharma fraternity are looking at it for the future. However, we are worried about the inordinate delays in getting central clearance for the NIMZ status for the pharma city project,” observed Eeshwar Reddy, Executive Director of BDMA.
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