<p>Riding on improved industrial environment in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government is mulling special incentives for the pharmaceuticals industry.<br><br>"There has been a marked improvement in perception and 'Brand UP' in fast gaining credibility among investors," Infrastructure and Industrial Development (IIDC) commissioner Mahesh Kumar Gupta said.<br><br>The commissioner informed this during a meeting with officials of Udyog Bandhu, Drug Administration and Medical and Health department.<br><br>"Time is ripe for promoting specific manufacturing sectors in the state and the government is seriously considering facilitative provisions for pharmaceutical and drugs industry and consultations with stakeholders have already begun," he added.<br><br>Joint Executive Director of Udyog Bandhu Kanchan Verma said that under the new initiative, apart from other provisions, the focus would be on adoption of good manufacturing practices, technology upgradation, logistics and setting up of more testing labs.<br><br>Assistant Commissioner, Drug Administration, A.K. Malhotra informed that there were around 450 pharmaceutical units in the state.<br><br>"Most of these units are concentrated in western parts of the state in Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar with thin presence in Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Aligarh and Gorakhpur", he said.<br><br>According to UP Drugs Manufacturers Association, Uttar Pradesh has nearly 17 per cent market share of national sale with a turnover of about Rs 90,000 crore in pharma sector.<br><br>Therefore, a special drive to boost the prospects of drug sector in the state with government support is urgently required, the association said.<br><br>The Uttar Pradesh government had already announced sector-specific policies for industries such as solar, sugar, information technology, electronic manufacturing, poultry promotion, food processing policies besides infrastructure and industrial investment policy.<br><br>(PTI)</p>
