Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in India is the administrative unit of three departments namely:-
- Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals
- Department of Fertilisers
- Department of Pharmaceuticals
The Ministry is headed by Minister of Chemicals and fertilisers. Ananth Kumar is the current minister for the department.[1]
Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals
The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals was under the Ministry of Industry until December 1989, when it was brought under the Ministry of Petroleum and Chemicals. On June 5, 1991, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals was transferred to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.
The Department is entrusted with the responsibility of planning, development and regulations of the chemicals, petrochemicals and pharmaceutical industry sector, inducting:
- Drugs and pharmaceuticals, excluding those specifically allotted to other departments
- Insecticides, excluding the administration of the Insecticides Act, 1968 (46 of 1968).
- Molasses
- Alcohol – Industrial and Potable from the molasses route.
- Dyestuffs and dye intermediates
- All organic and inorganic chemicals not specifically allotted to any other ministry or department.
- Bhopal disaster - special laws
- Petrochemicals
- Industries relating to production of non-cellulosic synthetic fibres such as nylon, polyester, and acrylic
- Synthetic rubber
- Plastics including fabrications of plastic and moulded goods
- Planning, development and control of, and assistance to, all industries dealt with by the Department
The Department has various divisions under it. The important being:
- Chemical Division
- Petrochemicals Division
- Monitoring and Evaluation Division (M&E Division)
Department of Fertilisers
Earlier called the Department of Chemicals & Fertilisers. The genesis of the Department of Chemicals and Fertilisers can traced to the erstwhile Ministry of Production in the fifties.
In 1963 the Department was placed in the newly set up Ministry of Petroleum and Chemicals. In 1975, with the appointment of a separate Cabinet Minister for Chemicals & Fertilisers, the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers comprising the Department of Petroleum and the Department of Chemicals & Fertilisers came into being. A separate Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers came into existence in September, 1982 headed by a Cabinet Minister who is assisted by Minister of State. It was part of the Ministry of Agriculture till 1984. In June, 1991, it become part of newly created Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers. Department of Fertilizers came into existence as a separate Department in September, 1985 consequent upon the bifurcation of the then Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers. Thereafter, this Department was brought under the ambit of Ministry of Agriculture for a short duration. However, the earlier position was restored in 1992.
The main activities of the Department of Fertilisers (DOF) broadly cover planning, promotion and development of the fertiliser industry, planning and monitoring of production, import and distribution of fertilisers and management of financial assistance for indigenous and imported fertilisers.
The department has four divisions namely:-
- Fertiliser Projects and Planning
- Fertiliser Imports, Movement and Distribution
- Administration
- Finance and Accounts
Department of Pharmaceuticals
The cabinet Secretariat on 2 July 2008, has notified creation of a new Department under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers with the objective to give greater focus and thrust on the development of Pharmaceutical Sector in the country and to regulate various complex issues related to pricing and availability of medicines at affordable prices, research & development, protection of intellectual property rights and international commitments related to pharmaceutical sector which require integration of work with other ministries. There is also need for better coordination in the areas of pharmaceutical R&D and education and for international cooperation in these areas.
All the drugs and pharmaceuticals, unless specifically allotted to any other department, would come under the purview of the Department of Pharmaceuticals. The main functions and responsibilities of the Department are as follows:
1. All matters relating to NPPA including its functions of price control and monitoring.
2. Responsible for the drugs and pharmaceuticals, excluding those specifically allotted to other departments, and for the development of infrastructure, manpower and skills for the pharmaceutical sector
3. Work for the promotion and coordination of basic, applied and other research in areas related to the pharmaceutical sector and for international co-operation in pharmaceutical research.
4. Entrusted with the task of maintaining inter-sectoral coordination between organizations and institutes, both under Central and State Governments, related to areas concerning the subject.
5. To deal with all matters relating to planning, development and control of, and assistance to, all industries in the pharmaceutical segment.
6. All the Government owned drug manufacturing units such as Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, Hindustan Antibiotics, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited, Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals and Rajasthan Drugs & Pharmaceuticals would be placed under the department.
7. All matters relating to National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Education and training including high-end research and grant of fellowships in India and abroad, exchange of information and technical guidance on all matters relating to pharmaceutical sector.
8. Technical support for dealing with national hazards in pharmaceutical sector.
9. Promotion of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in pharmaceutical related areas.
Shri Ashok Kumar, an I.A.S. officer of 1974 Batch (Bihar Cadre) has been appointed as the first Secretary in the newly created Department of Pharmaceuticals.
Attached Offices
NPPA is an organization of the Government of India which was established, inter alia, to fix/ revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the country, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995.
The organization is also entrusted with the task of recovering amounts overcharged by manufacturers for the controlled drugs from the consumers.
It also monitors the prices of decontrolled drugs in order to keep them at reasonable levels.
Autonomous Bodies
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) [2]
Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET) is a premier National Institution devoted to Academic, Technology Support & Research (ATR) for the Plastics & allied industries, in India. First CIPET campus was established by Government of India in 1968 at Chennai and subsequently 14 CIPET Campuses have been established by Government of India in the country.
Today CIPET has many Campus's
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Ahmedabad,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Amritsar,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Aurangabad,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Bhopal,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Bhubaneswar,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Chennai,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Guwahati,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Hajipur,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Haldia,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Jaipur,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Imphal,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Lucknow,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Mysore,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Khunti,
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, Panipat
These are contributing through ATR services to the industries in India and Abroad, having uniform infrastructural facilities in the areas of Design, CAD/CAM/CAE, Tooling & Mould Manufacturing, Plastics processing, Testing and Quality control.
CIPET chennai also started a department called ARSTPS (Advance Research School for Technology and Product Simulation)which provides facilities in areas of Design, CAD/CAM/CAE. It also provide a ME degree program for CAD/CAM.A
PSUs and Joint Ventures
- Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited (BCPL)
- Bramhaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited (BVFCL)
- FCI Aravali Gypsum and Minerals India Limited (FAGMIL)
- Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT)
- Fertiliser Association of India (FAI)
- Fertilizer Corporation of India (FCIL
- Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL)
- Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL)
- Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited (HOCL) http://hocl.gov.in
- Madras Fertilizers Limited (MFL)
- National Fertilisers Limited (NFL)
- Projects and Development India Limited (PDIL)
- Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Limited (RCF)
- Bramhaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL)
Others
- Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (GSFC)
- Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO)
- Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO)
References
- ^ "Statement of Srikant Kumar Jena on CCEA approval of the proposal regarding revival of five closed units of FCIL - Invest in India". investinindia.com. Retrieved 11 April 2018.