The Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers on Friday announced that 55 pharmaceutical companies spanning three categories were selected as beneficiaries from the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the sector. The financial outlay for the scheme is Rs 15,000 crore, it added.
The PLI scheme for pharmaceuticals is part of the government’s flagship Atmanirbhar Bharat plan aimed at enhancing India’s manufacturing capabilities and exports in ten sectors, which had been approved by the Union Cabinet on February 24, 2021. The operational guidelines for the scheme inviting applications from the pharmaceutical industry were issued on June 1, 2021 by the Department of Pharmaceuticals after intensive consultation with industry and related departments and NITI Aayog.
The scheme received a very good response from the industry and a total of 278 applications were received by the closing date of August 31, 2021 out of which 55 applicants were selected.
The applications were invited in three different categories to ensure fair competition and broad coverage amongst the industry players. The categories were based on the size of the applicant as determined by the global manufacturing revenues from pharmaceutical manufacturing. These involve three different product categories including biopharmaceuticals; complex generic drugs; patented drugs or drugs nearing patent expiry, cell-based or gene-therapy drugs, orphan drugs, special empty capsules like HPMC, Pullulan, enteric etc, complex excipients, phytopharmaceuticals in category 1.
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, key starting materials, drug Intermediates (except the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients / Key Starting materials / Drug Intermediates covered under the earlier PLI scheme for APIs/KSMs and DIs being implemented by the Department) in category 2 and repurposed drugs; auto immune drugs, anti-cancer drugs, anti-diabetic drugs, anti-infective drugs, cardiovascular drugs, psychotropic drugs and anti-retroviral drugs; In vitro diagnostic devices; Other drugs not manufactured in India in category 3.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Aurobindo Pharma Ltd, Dr. Reddy’s Laoratories Ltd, Lupin Ltd, Mylan Laboratories Ltd, Cadila Healthcare Ltd, Cipla Ltd, Amneal Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Neogen Chemicals Ltd, Biological E Ltd, Natco Pharma Ltd, Strides Pharma and Aarti Industries are some of the pharma companies to be selected as beneficiaries of PLI scheme.
The scheme aims to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities by boosting investment and production in the sector and contributing to product diversification to high-value goods in the sector. One of the further objectives of the scheme is to create global champions from India who have the potential to grow in size and scale and penetrate the global value chains.
