OTHER INITIATIVES BY MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS

1. Scheme for “Assistance to Medical Device Clusters for Common Facilities (AMD-CF)”

Background: The Indian industry is currently the 4^th largest Asian medical devices market after Japan, China and South Korea. However, the Indian Medical Device market has significant presence of several multi-national companies with about 75-80% of the sales generated from imported Medical Devices.

Aim: To  strengthen the existing and new Medical Device clusters by providing financial assistance for creation of Common Infrastructure Facilities which would help in boosting the domestic manufacturing capacity, improving the quality of clusters and sustainable growth of the Medical Device sector.

Components:

Assistance for Common Facilities (CF)	To strengthen the medical device clusters’ capacity for their sustained growth by creating Common Infrastructure Facilities.
Assistance for Testing Facilities (TF)	To strengthen availability of more Medical Device Testing Laboratories in order to boost manufacturing of quality medical devices.

Features:

• • Tenure of the Scheme: The tenure of the Scheme is from Financial Year 2023-24 to Financial Year 2026-27.
  • The proposals under the scheme will be considered for approval by the Scheme Steering Committee (SSC), which is also responsible for:
    • For providing direction for effective implementation of the Scheme.
    • For evaluating & recommending proposals for approval.
    • For monitoring the implementation of the scheme.
    • For taking all decisions required for successful implementation of the Scheme, including decisions on any deviations in approved projects.
    • For conducting a periodic review of selected applicants with respect to approved common facilities and testing labs under the scheme.
  • There is a provision for Project Management Agency that would act as a catalyst in expeditious implementation of the projects in a systematic, professional and transparent manner. It shall also carry out regular monitoring of the implementation of the scheme and each project approved thereunder.

2. Scheme for Human Resource Development in Medical Device Sector

Aim: To develop a specialized and skilled workforce tailored to the requirements of the medical device sector.

Objectives:

1. To fill the gap existing in the education and research in medical devices sector and to ensure quality teaching, training and nurturing excellence in Medical Technology education.

2. To meet the requirements of rapidly innovating multidisciplinary areas of Medical Technology.

3. Boosting the R&D ecosystem for the medical device sector in India.

Features:

• • Target:
    • To educate/ train around 5,400 students which will help in bridging the gap between industry and academia.
    • To fulfill the objectives of the Medical Device Policy, including reaching a $50 billion market size by 2030 and reducing India’s dependence on imported high-end medical devices.
  • Targeted Beneficiaries:
    • universities and other institutes offering courses in medical devices.
    • Students willing to work in the medical device sector.
    • Existing work force in medical device sector
  • Components:

1. Support for running post graduate courses (MS/Mtech/ PG-Diploma) in Medical Devices in existing institutes – Financial assistance will be provided to Center Government Universities/Institutes with objective of building infrastructure for education and research in medical devices and developing skilled workforce.

2. Capacity development in Medical Devices – design, production and testing – Financial assistance will be provided to the Central Government Universities/ Institutes for running diploma, certificate and short- term training courses for existing workforce (technicians, regulators) of medical device industry, students from pharmacology, engineering, technology and medical background willing to work in medical device industry to equip them for the medical device sector and make them compatible with the requirements of the industry on reimbursement basis.

• • Base Year: Financial Year 2023-24.
  • The duration of the scheme will be for a period of 3 years from FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-26.

3. Scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech (PRIP) Sector

Background: Pharmaceutical sector requires continued research to remain competitive. For this substantive measures are needed to venture into new areas to garner more value to the product and achieve increased exports. Expansion of the industry’s presence in the innovation accounts for 2/3^rd of the global pharmaceuticals opportunities.

                     The growth of medical device sector in India is primarily driven by growing and ageing population, increased per capita and disposable income, demand for healthcare infrastructure, rise in preventive testing and spread of healthcare services and insurance programs.

Objective: To transform Indian Pharma MedTech sector from cost based to innovation-based growth by strengthening the research infrastructure in the country.

Features:

• • The tenure of the scheme will be for a period of five years from FY 2023- 24 to FY 2027-28.
  • Components:

1. Strengthening the research Infrastructure – Setting up of 7 Centres of Excellence (CoE)at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPERs).

2. Promotion of Research in Pharma MedTech sector in 6 priority areas like New Chemical entities, complex generics including biosimilars, medical devices, stem cell therapy, orphan drugs, anti-microbial resistance etc.

• • An Empowered Committee (EC) under the chairmanship of CEO NITI Aayog is proposed to be set up for monitoring and evaluation of the scheme.
  • The scheme shall be implemented through a project management agency that will be responsible for providing secretarial, management and implementation support.
  • There are three main areas of focus:
    • To create a regulatory environment that facilitates innovation and research in product development, expanding the traditional regulatory objectives of safety and quality.
    • To incentivize private and public investment in Innovation through a mix of fiscal and non-fiscal measures.
    • To build an enabling ecosystem designed to support innovation and cross-sectoral research as a strong institutional foundation for sustainable growth in the sector.

Benefits:

• • Development of Research Infrastructure- The scheme would help in building a world class research atmosphere at NIPERs and other institutes and help in creating talent pool of qualified trained students.
  • This scheme will promote industry-academia linkages by promoting collaboration between Private sector and Govt. institutes.
  • Focus on certain priority areas which will help India’s pharma industry leapfrog and radically strengthen its position in the world market as innovation accounts for 2/3^rdof global pharmaceutical opportunities.
  • The scheme would help in launching of commercially viable products which will accelerate the growth of Indian pharmaceutical sector by increased revenue and creating employment opportunities.
  • The scheme would help in the development of affordable, accessible solution for primary area of health concern thus reducing health care burden.

4. Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) for P&K fertilizers

Aim: To improve soil health by encouraging balanced fertilisation and enhancing agricultural productivity.

Features:

• • Under NBS fertilizers are provided to farmers on subsidised rates depending on the nutrients (N, P, K, S) present in them.
  • It has been framed under Fertilizer (Control) Order (FCO), 1985 issued under Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
  • NBS is applicable for 25 grades of P&K fertilizers including, Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP), Mono Ammonium Phosphate (MAP), Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), etc.
  • The amount of subsidy is recommended by an Inter-Ministerial Committee before the start of financial year.
  • The subsidy in NBS is paid on basis of quantities sold.
  • The MRPs under this scheme are supposed to be market-determined and set by the individual companies selling them.
  • The scheme will be implemented upto 2026-26.

5. Urea Subsidy Policy

Aim: To ensure availability and accessibility of urea fertilizers at affordable rates.

Features:

• • It is a central sector scheme.
  • The MRP of urea is statutorily fixed by the Government of India. It is based on various constituents including freight cost.
  • Subsidy is paid on dispatch basis i.e. a company can claim subsidy only after the sale is registered on e-Urvarak DBT portal.
  • Either Aadhaar or Kisan Credit Card number is mandatory to a beneficiary of the scheme.

Significance:

• • Urea accounts for over 2/3^rd of overall fertilizer consumption.
  • India is the top importer of urea, importing an average of 7 million tonnes.

6. PM-PRANAM (PM Programme for restoration, Awareness, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth)

Aim: To promote balanced use of Chemical and alternative fertilizers, generating awareness of regenerative agriculture.

Features:

• • It was launched in union budget 2023-24.
  • It has provision to incentivize states and Uts for promoting balanced use of chemical fertilizers.
  • The scheme has no separate budget.
  • Grants – 70% for asset creation and 30% for incentivization.
  • The Integrated Fertilizers Management System (Ifms) is envisaged as a platform to track fertilizer use.

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