Project Vikas to enhance efficiency of around 1,000 A'bad-based pharma SMEs .Pharmaceutical manufacturing clusters in Ahmedabad received a booster dose in form of the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) and Microsoft India's joint initiative 'Project Vikas', aimed at building their skill and increasing efficiency and reliability. Under this project, launched in Gujarat on Wednesday, Microsoft India will provide support through its customised software to around 1,000 Ahmedabad-based small and medium scale units engaged in pharma sector.

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will take up the persisting issues of the small scale pharma units in the country with the ministries of Chemicals, Finance and Environment and Forest, based on the recommendation of its task force.

The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research has set up a first ever facility for small and medium sized pharmaceutical units at Mohali in Punjab to assist industry in formulations, drug method development and providing tra ining to manpower.

Drug companies especially the small and medium scale units located in the non-tax free zones, are thinking of moving court once again on the issue of fixed dose combinations as the office of DCGI has failed to arrive at a final decision even after more than one and half years of raking up the issue.