No proposal to set up a pharma ministry, says Government

However, Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar had said last year that a separate ministry for pharma and medical devices sector would come into force within a year.

In a separate written reply, Mandaviya said: "No budget allocation" has yet been made for development of common facilitation centre for medical devices.

He added: "A sub-scheme for development of common facilitation centre for medical devices under the Umbrella scheme of cluster development programme for pharma sector has been proposed. But, no budget allocation has yet been made."

Earlier this year, Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) had said that it has come up with a scheme to finance common facility centres like component and radiation testing in proposed medical device parks with an outlay of Rs 300 crore as it looks to curb import dependence.

Development of common facilitation centre for medical devices (DCFC-MD) scheme proposes to give Rs 25 crore or 70 per cent of cost of equipment and machinery and fixed assets as grant-in-aid for setting up of common facility centres like moduling centres.

The scheme also aims to offer similar benefits to medical devices park to be proposed by various state governments.

To reduce import dependence, the government has decided to establish six bulk drug and medical devices parks, which will entail a combined investment of Rs 60,000 crore.

The Indian pharmaceutical industry at the beginning of 11th Plan (2012) stood at around Rs 71,000 crore. It has now risen to around Rs 2,00,000 crore, as per Pharm track and Pharmexcil, up to 2015-16, the government said.