Kathmandu, September 19

The government has vowed to produce at least eight varieties of drugs within next three months from Nepal Drugs Ltd (NDL), which was revived by the Cabinet on Sunday.

Ministry of Industry (MoI) today unveiled the plan to start production of Cetamol, iron tablets, Jeevan Jal, Amoxicillin, Cufhist, Cufnas, Alazol and Amgit within next three months using the already available infrastructure of NDL, which has remained shut since last seven years .

“NDL can easily produce these eight medicines with existing infrastructure if the raw materials are made available. With timely delivery of the raw materials, NDL will be able to produce the aforementioned medicines within next three months,” Industry Minister Nabindra Raj Joshi said, addressing a press conference held here today.

Similarly, Minister Joshi informed that NDL, in the first phase, will produce 48 varieties of drugs that the government has categorised under ‘Essential Drugs’ list. Once sophisticated machineries and equipment are added, NDL plans to produce 120 varieties of drugs, according to him.

The government has already announced it would provide loan of Rs 146.5 million to reopen NDL under the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), a quality standard of World Health Organisation.

MoI plans to operate NDL by hiring a professional management team. When asked about the operation modality of NDL, Minister Joshi said that the company will later be operated by private management. “We will give equity share to the private sector,” Joshi announced.

MoI has also formed a six-member committee of stakeholders and experts to hold feasibility study of reviving NDL and give suggestion to the government.

Meanwhile, Minister Joshi also unveiled government’s plan to operate seven different other public industries, which are now shut, in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

“Industries have remained defunct basically due to political interference. The government will revive seven other such shut state industries and operate them in PPP modality, or at least by giving private sector the management of these industries,” said Joshi.

In the second phase, MoI plans to give life to Birgunj Sugar Factory, Hetauda Textile Factory, Gorakhkali Rubber Udhyog Ltd, Butwal Dhago Karkhana Ltd, Nepal Metal Company, Agriculture Equipment Factory Ltd and Nepal Oriental Magnesite Industry.

“Industrial growth is crucial for country’s prosperity and development. Thus, government will also try to create favourable investment environment in a bid to attract foreign direct investment,” he added.