The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers on 11th March 2022, has released the guidelines for the scheme “Strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry (SPI)”, with a total financial outlay of Rs.500 Cr for the period from FY 21-22 to FY 25-26. The objective of the scheme is to strengthen the existing infrastructure facilities in order to make India a global leader in the Pharma Sector. Under the Scheme, financial assistance to pharma clusters will be provided for creation of Common Facilities. This will not only improve the quality but also ensure the sustainable growth of clusters.
Further, in order to upgrade the production facilities of SMEs (Small and medium size enterprises) and MSMEs so as to meet national and international regulatory standards (WHO-GMP or Schedule-M), interest subvention or capital subsidy on their capital loans will be provided, which will further facilitate the growth in volumes as well as in quality.
The Scheme has 3 components / sub-schemes: Assistance to Pharmaceutical Industry for Common Facilities (APICF), to strengthen the existing pharmaceutical clusters’ capacity for their sustained growth by creating common facilities; Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS) to facilitate Micro, Small and Medium Pharma Enterprises (MSMEs) of proven track record to meet national and international regulatory standards and Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices Promotion and Development Scheme (PMPDS) to facilitate growth and development of Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Sectors through study/survey reports, awareness programs, creation of database, and promotion of industry.