New Delhi: YSRCP MP Vijaya Sai Reddy has stressed the need for attracting more and more pharmaceutical companies in Jawaharlal Pharma City in Visakhapatnam which helps in generating employment in Andhra Pradesh state.

Vijaya Sai Reddy was addressing the Honourable Chair on Friday in Rajya Sabha and sought to know the measures being taken by the government in increasing pharma exports of Visakhapatnam Pharma City.

The YSRCP MP also sought to know how the Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers is going to help Andhra Pradesh to make Visakhapatnam a pharmaceutical hub of the country. In a written reply to a question posed by Vijaya Sai Reddy, Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers Mansukh L Mandaviya informed the House that Visakhapatnam Pharma City is making rapid progress in pharma exports.

Total of Rs 104679.68 crore worth pharma exports in the country were registered for the year 2015-16, he said. The government would provide necessary help to the Andhra Pradesh in implementing welfare projects which also help in generating more employment.

To a question that whether the Centre is planning to acquire additional 2,000 acres of land for another Pharma City in the state, Mandaviya said the department of Pharmaceuticals has at present no plan for acquiring any land for the Pharma City.

The Chemical and Fertilizers Minister maintained that the department is at present implementing a scheme for Cluster Development Programme for Pharma Sector (CDP-PS) for financing common facilities in Pharma Clusters in the country. Through this scheme, the government proposes to finance common facilities of these clusters/parks.

Drought in Andhra Pradesh

MP Vijai Sai Reddy also sought to know —

a) the details of mandals declared as drought-affected during the the last three years and current year;

b) The details of assistance sought by Government of Andhra Pradesh and provided by the Central Government;

c) and whether Government of Andhra Pradesh has submitted drought-related details of the year 2016-17 so far?

Replying to the question on drought by Vijai Sai Reddy, the minister of state for agriculture SS Ahulwalia said the Government of Andhra Pradesh has not reported drought during 2017-18. As per the revised ‘Manual for Drought Management 2016’, which is effective from Kharif 2017, the States

are required to declare the Kharif drought by 30th October and the Rabi drought by 31st March of the financial year.