Friday, September 9 2005 11:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Reversing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government's policy, the Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry has decided to revive all five units of Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd in a phased manner to ensure supply of medicines to the poor at affordable prices.

The decision to revive the units located at Gurgaon, Chennai, Hyderabad, Muzaffarpur and Rishikesh was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

The decision is a follow-up action of the recommendations made by a Government-constituted expert committee on the revival of IDPL.

An official statement said the previous Government had decided to close down IDPL and most employees had been given voluntary retirement.

"In a departure from this decision, it was decided to take effective steps to give a new lease of life to IDPL so as to ensure availability of medicines to the poor masses at affordable prices," the statement said.

In this regard, Paswan appreciated the contribution of IDPL to supplying Doxycycline to the victims of the recent floods in Mumbai at a very short notice.

He also said the Government is coming up with a new pharma policy wherein it is proposed to be made mandatory for the Central Government departments to make purchases of medicines from PSUs.