World Bank to aid food & drug sector reforms

NEW DELHI: Even as a slew of legislative changes are being contemplated for the food and drug sectors, including those for bringing potable water under the definition of food and for instituting death penalty for spurious drug racketeers, the Centre is embarking on a major project to upgrade the regulatory infrastructure for the two sectors.
To house the food and drugs regulators exclusively, a new ‘Foods and Drugs Bhawan’ will be set up in Delhi, while the quality assurance systems for both the sectors have been improved to meet global standards.
World Bank is providing an assistance of Rs 300 crore for the project aimed at regulatory capacity-building. An agreement will be signed between World Bank and the department of economic affairs (DEA) here on Monday to this effect, said Dipak Gupta, joint secretary, the ministry of health and family welfare. The Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) would be upgraded with induction of personnel, setting up of more testing laboratories and computerisation. Out of the World Bank allocation for the healthcare sector, about Rs 90 crore would be utilised for CDSCO modernisation.
The aim is to achieve complete co-ordination and consolidation of regulatory capabilities in the food and drugs sectors. Sources said that an efficient adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting system would be established in the country.