Bhubaneswar, Dec 12: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Union Health Minister JP Nadda to establish a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in Odisha. In his letter, Pradhan highlighted the state’s growing biotech infrastructure, particularly the Odisha Bio-Tech Park in Bhubaneswar, as an ideal location for the institute.
He emphasized that the Bio-Tech Park offers essential resources such as water, electricity, and effluent treatment, crucial for biotechnology industries. Setting up NIPER in Odisha, Pradhan said, would help bridge gaps in pharmaceutical education, foster innovation, and create a skilled workforce, contributing to India’s competitiveness in the global pharmaceutical market.
Pradhan also pointed out that the establishment of NIPER would align with India’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and support the government’s vision of a self-reliant India. He urged Nadda to consider Odisha for this important initiative, which he believes would boost pharmaceutical research and education in the country.