Ranchi, March 18: The Jharkhand government has announced plans to establish a pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in the state, with an aim to make it self-reliant in medicine production and transform it into a “medicine hub,” Health Minister Irfan Ansari said.
Addressing a gathering of pharmacy students and experts at the National Health Mission auditorium in Namkum, the minister highlighted the absence of any major pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in the state despite over two decades of its formation.
“It is a matter of grave concern that even after two decades of statehood, Jharkhand does not have a single major pharmaceutical manufacturing unit,” he said, adding that even basic medicines like paracetamol and essential supplies such as dextrose saline are currently procured from outside the state.
“The time has come to change this reality,” he asserted.
The proposed pharmaceutical industry is expected to boost local production of medicines, ensure the availability of affordable drugs, and generate large-scale employment opportunities for the state’s youth, particularly pharmacy graduates.
Officials said Jharkhand has over 123 pharmacy colleges producing around 7,000 graduates annually, and the government aims to create job opportunities within the state to curb migration.
“The youth are the future of this state. My priority as a public servant is to ensure that our pharmacy graduates find high-quality employment right here in Jharkhand rather than migrating elsewhere,” Irfan Ansari said.
In a parallel move to strengthen healthcare services, the minister announced that the recruitment process for more than 7,300 posts of Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM) and General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) staff will begin soon. The government also plans to open 750 new medicine stores, which will further create employment for pharmacists.
Emphasising the broader vision, the minister said the initiative would enhance coordination between medical and pharmaceutical sectors, ultimately strengthening the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
“Jharkhand will become a medicine hub,” he added.
