New Delhi, Jun 28 (KNN) The Union government has approved a significant investment of Rs 700 crore to establish centres of excellence at the National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) over the next five years.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals announced that Rs 243 crore of this budget has been earmarked for the fiscal year 2024-25.

This initiative aims to bolster research and development in India's pharmaceutical sector, an area identified as crucial for growth amid recent international scrutiny of Indian drug manufacturing practices.

The seven existing NIPERs, located in Mohali, Ahmedabad, Hajipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Rae Bareli, will focus on diverse research areas including medical device manufacturing, bulk drug R&D, phytopharmaceuticals, biological therapeutics, and antiviral and antibacterial drug discovery.

The Kolkata centre will specifically concentrate on developing production methods incorporating advanced continuous flow chemistry technology, moving away from traditional batch processing.

This allocation is part of a broader governmental push to enhance pharmaceutical innovation.

In 2023, the Union Cabinet approved the Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech sector (PRIP) scheme, with a total outlay of Rs 5,000 crore planned from 2023-24 to 2027-28.

A Parliamentary Panel, led by Shashi Tharoor, had previously advocated for increased funding for new initiatives within the pharmaceutical sector.

These included the establishment of the National Institute of Medical Devices Education and Research (NIMERs) and the Indian Council of Research & Development and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector (ICPMR).

While the Department of Pharmaceuticals had initially requested Rs 1,286 crore for FY24, with substantial allocations for various new projects, the final budget saw only Rs 550 crore allocated to NIPERs, with no funds assigned to the proposed new initiatives.

The recent Rs 700 crore allocation appears to address some of these funding gaps, signalling a renewed focus on pharmaceutical research and innovation in India.

(KNN Bureau)