New Delhi: In a major shot in the arm for Uttar Pradesh government ahead of the state assembly elections, the Central Government has approved “In Principle”, his proposal for setting up a sprawling Medical Devices Park in Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) area.

In a letter dated September 24, the Department of Pharmaceuticals in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers has sought a Detailed Project Report (DPR) from the State Government by December 23 for “further appraisal and final approval” of the project.
Meanwhile, CM Yogi has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sanctioning one of the four Medical Devices Parks to be set up in the country, in Uttar Pradesh.

It is worth mentioning here that the UP Government had sent a proposal for setting up a Medical Devices Park to the Central Government on October 9, 2020. The proposed park will be spread over an area of 350 acres in YEIDA area.

Medical Park to provide employment to 20,000 people

The establishment of the park assumes great significance in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that saw shortage of raw materials for medicines in the country at one stage.

To be built in two phases, the Medical Devices Park will bring in an investment of Rs 5,250 crore and provide employment to more than 20,000 people. The park will be the first Medical Devices Park in UP and the largest in North India, making Uttar Pradesh the new hub of pharmaceutical products and medical equipment manufacturing in India.

Incubation centre to be built inside the park to help start-ups

YEIDA has already earmarked 350 acres of land for the park in Sector-28 of Noida. An incubation centre will also be built on five acres of land at the Medical Devices Park, benefitting startup companies. YEIDA has tied up with IIT Kanpur for the construction of the incubation centre.

It is worth mentioning here that despite having the third largest pharmaceutical industry in the world, India is still dependent on China for the raw materials of medicines. In some of the medicines, India’s dependence on raw materials from China ranges between 80 to 100 percent. So, when there was a shortage of raw materials following the outbreak of novel coronavirus (Covid-19), the NITI Aayog, the Union Health Ministry and the concerned departments of the Centre started promoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India programme in the medical field through setting up of pharma and medical devices parks. The Central Government decided to set up four medical device parks in the country.

Acting quickly on this, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote to the Central Government seeking approval to build the Medical Devices Parks in Lucknow and Noida, pitching the suitability of the two centres for it with the presence of four world-class drug research centres in Lucknow and Noida’s increasing export potential with the establishment of the Jewar International Airport.

The Yogi Government also sought allotment of two bulk pharmaceutical, or medical device parks to UP for the favourable environment created for investors due to the new industrial and pharma policy of the Central Government.

Industries will be allotted ready sheds, instead of plots, at the park to expedite production of medical equipment. In the first phase, sheds will be constructed on 125 acres of land whereas in the second, sheds will be built on 225 acres.

Medical Park to help UP emerge as a pharma manufacturing hub

It is noteworthy that a similar medical device park has been set up in Visakhapatnam, which YEIDA officials visited a few months back to get an idea of the minute details in order to be able to implement them in Noida.

The special feature of the Medical Devices Park in YEIDA area will be its incubation centre to be built in coordination with Kanpur IIT for the exchange of new technology. Startup companies coming to the medical device park will benefit immensely from this centre in terms of promoting their businesses.

The Medical Devices Park will provide them a platform to produce and showcase their products while IIT Kanpur will provide them technical support to improve their units.

In addition, YEIDA will develop a common facility centre at the park where companies will get facilities according to their needs under one roof. This will encourage world renowned companies working in the health sector to come forward to invest in the park, according to YEIDA officials.

Incubation centres provide startups with facilities such as business and technical facilities, mentorship, early development funds, networks and relationships, cooperative spaces, laboratory facilities, mentoring and advisory support.