Samajwadi Party today expressed concern over the sale of fake, substandard and expired medicines, with the Centre saying the states have all powers to check quality and take action.
Responding to the issue raised by Naresh Agrawal during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Health Minister J P Nadda said "the issue concerns to all of us. The Government of India is sensitive and proactive on this matter."
However, the implementation of the policy is with state governments. "The states have all powers to control the quality and take action."
The Centre was giving them financial and technical support. More than Rs 2,000 crore project has been sanctioned for increasing and enhancing the lab facilities and other infrastructure in states, he said.
"We are proactive. I would like the states to respond properly. Some states are doing good work, while some are not able to respond and in those states such incidents are more."
Raising the issue, Agrawal said the common people were facing problem of fake, substandard and expired medicines being sold in the market. In fact, 90 per cent of medicines sold in villages were expired one, he said.
The Health Minister said the states should take bold steps to contain this.
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