December 6, 2021
Pratima Mondal speaks on The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Sir, I rise to speak on The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Today is December 6 and so I would like to pay my tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.
I would like to bring to the forefront that the Government of West Bengal had allotted 10 acres of land at Kalyani, Nadia district for NIPER Kolkata in January 2018. NIPER Kolkata is currently running on the lease land of Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Limited. A PSU under the aegis of the department and, according to the government, this BCPL is under strategic disinvestment and it had been decided to transfer about 20 acres of BCPL land for setting up a regular campus of the Institution at its present site itself. But the construction activities have not started due to the deferment of a decision by the Expenditure Finance Committee in March 2018 regarding construction of campus.
So, I sincerely request the Hon. Minister to kindly address the issue and inform us about the current status of this project.
Sir, I would also like to mention that BCPL was established in 1901 by the famous scientist Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray. It is the first government owned pharmaceutical enterprise and it has been manufacturing hydroxychloroquine drug used for the treatment of Covid-19. So, I would like to request the Hon. Minister to kindly look into the matter for revival strategy of BCPL instead of disinvestment.
The Bill that was introduced in March had provision for removal of eminent SC/ST members of the field. But the Standing Committee advised against the same. My request to the Hon. Minister is to kindly consider this matter and include at least one SC or ST member in this committee.
Sir, I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that Masters and PhD students of these institutions are provided with a fellowship. However, the students pursuing integrated Masters and PhD programmes are deprived of the same. I would like to know the reason for this and request the Hon. Minister to consider the matter in favour of these students.
My last submission is, in the educational programme, candidates from the SC/ST category are exempted from paying tuition fees, which is a welcome step. I would like to request the government to extend the same to students of economically weaker sections of the society. This will promote equity in the system.
Sir, I would like to conclude by reminding the government that in the year 2012, five institutions, namely at Madurai, Jalwar, Raipur, Nagpur and Bangalore were put forward to be established but, as far as I know, they are still on paper. I would like to know the reason behind this and thus, in order to ensure all round development of this sector, way more than what the Bill proposes, is required to be done.
Thank You, Sir.
