PSUs in pharma sector will not be sold: Ananth Kumar

Public sector undertakings in pharmaceuticals sector will not be sold but their assets will be leveraged to make them financially viable, the government said today.
"The Public Sector Undertakings (in pharma sector) will not be sold. Instead, a model will be developed for leveraging their assets to make them financially sustainable," Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar said.
He was speaking on the inauguration of the modernised general tablet section of IDPL Gurgaon Plant, which has been upgraded at a cost of Rs 3 crore.
"After modernisation, IDPL-Gurgaon plant will be able to launch new products in areas of diabetes, oncology, NSAIDS, antibiotics-3rd generation, nephrology and cardiology, including other segments of lifestyle diseases at affordable price...," an official statement said.

Kumar assured government's full support in enhancing the efficiency and productivity of pharma PSUs.
For the sake of health security, there is a need to re-energise and revive the sick pharma PSUs and the government is working on it, he added.

The minister further said drugs provided by IDPL and other PSUs will facilitate in smooth functioning of the government's programmes and help provide access to people good quality medicines.
There are five central PSUs in pharma sector. They are Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KAPL), Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (RDPL), Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd (HAL), Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BCPL) and Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (IDPL).

Out of the five while KAPL and RDPL have been making profits but the other three -- HAL, BCPL and IDPL -- were declared sick by the Board for Industrial & Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). The government has been considering and working on various schemes for their revival.