Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (APIIC) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT). As a step forward in the direction of setting up a Bulk Drug Park (BDP) in the State under a scheme by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Department of Pharmaceuticals.

Industries and Commerce Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy, who witnessed the exchange of MoU virtually from his camp office in Nellore on Wednesday, said that the State would emerge as a top destination for medicine manufacturers.

The objective of the MoU is to develop a collaborative partnership between the State Government and CSIR-IICT to establish Bulk Drug Pharma Park in the State by seeking financial support from the Centre. As per the agreement, CSIR-IICT shall provide necessary technical support as the knowledge partner in preparing the proposal to be submitted by the Andhra Pradesh government to the Department of Pharmaceuticals.

With Indian manufacturers relying heavily on import of bulk drugs from China, the Centre with the objective to attain self-reliance, issued a gazette notification in July this year to set up three Bulk Drug Parks.