Madhya Pradesh to clear drug firms' NOC and product inclusion requests within two days

Madhya Pradesh's pharmaceutical industry has received major relief from the government. To boost the supply of medicines from the state to other states and to promote drug companies, the government no-objection certificate (NOC) process will now be completed in just two days.

The demand was raised at the annual meeting of drug manufacturers in Indore, held on October 30. Heads of drug-making companies attended, along with senior officials of the state and central drug regulatory organisations. Industry representatives had asked for the NOC and government processes to be made easier.

A drug manufacturer that wants to supply government hospitals, sell in the domestic market or export must first obtain government permission for the formula. Only when the drug regulatory department adds the formula to its list, that is, when inclusion is done, is it manufactured and supplied. For exports, an NOC must also be obtained from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). At the meeting, industry representatives had sought a faster and simpler process for all these NOCs.

The matter was taken up with Chief Secretary Ashok Varnwal through the pharma committee of Laghu Udyog Bharati. Representatives of the pharma industry raised the issue of increasing drug exports from the state and making the product inclusion process simple and time-bound.

According to Laghu Udyog Bharati president Radhasharan Goswami and Amit Chawla, state head of the Federation of Pharma Entrepreneurs, the Chief Secretary spoke on the spot to Madhya Pradesh Drug Controller Manoj Pushp and other officials. An order has now been issued that the NOC and product inclusion process be completed in two days.

This will bring major relief to the pharmaceutical industry. According to drug manufacturer Ajaysingh Dasundi, the order will also help raise the state's drug exports. Similar relief is expected soon at the central level as well.