Panel asks govt to fix a target date for construction of NIPERs and review works periodically

New Delhi, August 13, 2022:

A Parliamentary panel which looks into the Demand for Grants 2022-23 of the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers has expressed its displeasure at the pace in which the infrastructure of National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) is being developed. It has also sought the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) to furnish details of a committee the government has formed for setting up of five new NIPERs.

In an action taken report on its previous recommendations on the Demands for Grants 2022-23 of the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers (DoP), the Parliamentary panel headed by Member of Parliament Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said that despite its earlier recommendation to complete at least 50 per cent of the works of the campuses of NIPERs in 2022-23, it seems difficult for the DoP to complete at least the 30 per cent it has committed earlier.

In a report, presented to the Lok Sabha on August 8, the Committee said that it has been informed that for construction of NIPERs, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with Central Public Works Department at Raebareli, Kolkata and Hajipur. Construction of campus at NIPER Ahmedabad is in full swing and expected to be completed by August, 2022 while construction of campus NIPER Hyderabad will start shortly by NPCC Limited, submitted the DoP in its reply to the Committee earlier. Progress of construction activities is regularly reviewed at Department level, it added.

In this regard the Committee had strongly recommended that the construction of four NIPERs should be completed within two years. However the Department proposed to complete 30% of construction during 2022-23 but the Committee were of the view that the Department may plan to complete 50 per cent of construction during 2022-23 and rest of the construction be completed by 2023-24.

“However, in the reply furnished by the Department such seriousness is not reflecting as no target date for construction of NIPERs have been furnished,” criticised the Committee. In this regard, the Committee note that though the construction of campus at NIPER Ahmedabad is expected to be completed by August, 2022 but construction of campus NIPER Hyderabad is yet to commence and MoUs have been signed between CPWD and NIPERs for construction of campus at Raebareli, Kolkata and Hajipur.

“It appears that completion of even 30% construction work of these NIPERs as committed by the Department during 2022-23 seems to be difficult. Reiterating their earlier recommendation, the Committee, therefore, strongly recommend that a target date for construction of NIPERs may be fixed and the construction may be vigorously reviewed to complete the construction work in time,” it added.

Considering the Department’s response to its earlier observation that the proposal to set up five new NIPERs in Tamil Nadu (Madurai), Karnataka (Bengaluru), Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are still on paper without any concrete action to set up them, the Parliamentary Committee directed the DoP to furnish various details.

The Department has submitted that the recommendation of the Committee have been noted and a Committee has since been set up with the approval of Hon’ble minister of chemicals & fertilizers for exploring other options for setting up of new NIPERs.

“However, the details of the Committee (formed by the DoP) and steps taken by it so far for exploring alternate ways of funding of NIPERs have not been furnished. The Committee desire that the details regarding composition of the Committee (formed by the DoP), date of constitution of the Committee, sittings held so far by the Committee, a gist of major recommendations made and major decision taken etc. may please be furnished for the consideration of the Committee at the earliest,” said the Panel.

The Department had asked the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) to allocate Rs. 4,300 crore for present seven NIPERs and additional five NIPERs for the next five years. However, EFC has earmarked only Rs. 1,500 crore for NIPERs with the rider that this allocation should be utilized only for the existing seven NIPERs. In this regard, the Department of Pharmaceuticals later proposed to explore the alternate ways of funding of these NIPERs.

In its earlier report the Parliamentary panel observed that since the present number of seven NIPERs are hardly sufficient to meet the requirements of the country in the field of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, it strongly recommend that all necessary steps should be taken by the Department of Pharmaceuticals for the early setting up of five new NIPERs. It had also asked the DoP to submit a fresh proposal EFC for reconsideration of their decision and asked to convey the concern expressed by the Committee. It also suggested that the Department may also explore alternate ways of funding of these NIPERs including financial contribution by both the Union and the concerned state Governments so that these five NIPERs are also developed and completed in a time bound manner. The Panel also asked the Department to report the progress made in this regard. Pharmabiz