Union Minister of State Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of a Pharmaceutical Production Unit of Orchid Pharma at Gadadhar village in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
The Rs 600-700 crore project of Orchid Pharma is being set up in collaboration with the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said that this investment of about Rs 600 crore under the Production Linked Incentive Scheme of the Government of India reflects the growing confidence in the industrial and innovative potential of the Jammu and Kashmir region. He said that this unit is likely to provide direct employment to about 400 people. It will also generate similar indirect employment opportunities in supply, freight and other related sectors.
Dr Jitendra Singh described the project as a major achievement for the pharmaceutical sector. An important antibiotic intermediate amino cephalosporanic acid (ACA) will be produced in this unit. It is a key element for the formulation of cephalosporin antibiotics. At present, India is completely dependent on imports from China for this intermediate. This makes supply security, price stability, and access to healthcare vulnerable.
The Minister said that this facility at Kathua will significantly strengthen India's strategic capabilities in the field of pharmaceuticals and reduce import dependence for critical intermediate products. He further said, "Antibiotics are the cornerstone of modern healthcare and the pandemic showed how dependence on a single geographical area for essential inputs can become a national weakness. "
The Minister said that such projects not only expand India's pharmaceutical capacity but also strengthen the health security of the country by ensuring availability and affordability of essential medicines even during global disruptions.
