Gujarat is set to Receive a Rs 3,000 Crore Investment in the Pharmaceutical Sector

Gujarat, known as India's pharmacy, continues to attract significant investments in the pharmaceutical sector. According to top state government sources, applications for greenfield and brownfield investments totaling Rs 3,000 crore have been filed with the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA). Sanand is set to take the lion's share of this, with an investment of Rs 2,200 crore. Procter & Gamble India will invest Rs 2,000 crore in a personal healthcare manufacturing facility in Sanand.

"At the plant, the company will produce psyllium husk-based products in the digestive and wellness segments." "On the condition of anonymity, a top state government official said that P&G manufactures psyllium husk-based products only in the United States and is now making a big ticket investment in this segment in Gujarat." In addition, the company intends to invest in the production of topical cough and cold products in Sanand. "An additional investment of Rs 150 crore will be made for Vicks-branded products." The facility will be used to manufacture inhalers and vaporub, among other products.

Licence applications have been submitted. "Land allocation for the plant has already been completed," the official added. Apart from the big players, the pharma, healthcare, and wellness sectors are increasingly seeing investments from the MSME sector. The FDCA has approved licences for nearly 800 new units looking to invest in Gujarat over the last three years. "Every month, we are getting at least 10 or more applications for drug licences for manufacturing units. Most of these are MSMEs looking to set up plants to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), pharmaceutical formulations, ayurvedic and allopathic drugs and medical devices," said H G Koshia, commissioner of FDCA Gujarat. Sources said new plants are coming up in Valsad, Bharuch, Kadi, Vadodara and Rajkot, among other places. Entities such as PI Industries and Omkar Chemical Industries have already applied for environmental clearance to start construction of API and formulations manufacturing units in Gujarat.