40 medical devices, bulk drug units take off under PLI

Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday inaugurated 40 projects under the production-linked incentive scheme aimed at reducing India's dependence on imports of bulk drugs and medical devices.

Of these greenfield facilities, 27 are for bulk drugs and 13 are for manufacturing medical devices.

The bulk drugs which will be produced at these facilities include levofloxacin, ofloxacin, telmisartan, vitamin B6 and diclofenac sodium. The new plants for medical devices will manufacture machines for CT scan and MRI, cath lab and ultrasonography, as well as oxygen concentrators, ventilators, dialysis machines and stents, among others.


"Soon penicillin G will be made in India," the minister said. It has not been produced in India for the last 30 years, "now, under Atmanirbhar Bharat, we will produce it in the country itself", he added.

The PLI scheme with a total outlay of ?6,940 crore envisages manufacturing of 41 bulk drugs during the tenure of the scheme from FY21 to FY30, Mandaviya said.