Chandigarh, March 12:
Considering the rising number of unemployed Registered Pharmacists in the State, Capt. Amarinder Singh led Punjab Government has decided to provide self-employment to unemployed youth by making changes in the policy for grant of drugs licenses.
Disclosing this here today in a press release, the Health & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that the Registered Pharmacists with certain experience can now apply for grant of drugs license to open chemist shops in rural and urban areas under the amended policy. In addition to this, licenses for sale of Veterinary drugs, Medical devices, Dental materials, Diagnostic Kits & Reagents, Implants, Surgical goods and for Super Distributors have also been allowed.
Mr. Sidhu added that along with this certain changes have also been made for the grant of drugs licenses due to change of constitutions/premises. The applications for new drugs licence have to be made online through a single window system of Business-First Portal of Government of Punjab, he said.
Mr. Sidhu pointed out that now the Government of Punjab has substantially strengthened the FDA by increasing the strength of Drugs Control Officers to 60.
The Cabinet Minister informed that the State Government has made considerable changes in the facilities for testing of drugs and has established a State of art drugs testing laboratory at Kharar which is equipped with high end equipments and instruments to provide good quality medicines to the People of Punjab.
He further said that at the same time to keep strict control over the sale of habit forming drugs, the restriction on the stocking of 08 types of drugs i:e Codeine, Dextropropoxyphene, Diphenoxylate, Nitrazepam, Buprenorphine, Pentazocine & Oral dosage forms of tramadol and tapentadol has also been made and except for justified use for medical purpose.
