‘Indian industry must be self-sufficient’

There is a need to make the Indian industry self-dependent on raw materials, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), intermediates, agro and bulk chemicals. The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has also formed a panel to review existing standards for major chemicals, especially for imported ones in association with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), said secretary of chemicals and fertilizers P. Raghavendra Rao on Friday.

Mr. Rao sought the help of the institute to develop chemical safety and regulations to suit the Indian conditions.

“Since the adverse effects of excessive use of chemicals and plastics has been well-recorded, it is vital to develop ‘green chemistry’,” he said.

“IICT can play a major role in developing circular economy of converting waste into wealth, thereby creating a sustainable environment. Even as it works on impurity profiles of APIs, drug intermediates, agro chemicals and bulk chemicals, efforts should be made for developing alternative chemical compound as effective as DDT,” the Union secretary said.

The Ministry along with IICT could jointly create a dedicated specialised centre for this purpose making use of the infrastructure and expertise available here. “While we have taken many initiatives to improve the academic and industry interaction to solve industrial problems in chemical sector to minimise imports, there is more scope for CSIR and the industry to work together for the benefit of the nation,” he said.

Referring to the theme of ‘Women in Science’ this year, Mr. Rao said that women occupy important positions, including heading scientific organisations. “The Department of Science and Technology too has been promoting women scientists through various schemes encouraging them to take up both basic and applied science. These schemes are meant to encourage women especially those having a break in career and not having regular employment, to explore possibility of re-entry into the profession,” he said.

Mr. S. Chandrasekhar recalled that this was the day when Sir C.V. Raman propounded the Raman Effect in 1928, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930. The institute has the expertise and infrastructure to develop technologies to meet the nation’s demands on drugs and chemicals.

Tracing the growth of scientific innovations in the country and the pharma industry, He was confident that very soon China could be importing bulk drugs from India. He felicitated some women scientists on the occasion.