New pharma villages will attract Rs 1-lakh-cr investments: Revanth

I am announcing here to establish the next phase of Genome Valley in 300 acres of land with Rs 2,000 crore of investment - Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has decided to scrap the previous BRS regime’s proposal for setting up a ‘Pharma City’ and instead establish 10 ‘Pharma Villages’, (clusters) with an eye to attract Rs 1 lakh crore investments. These clusters will have the potential to create five lakh new jobs after they are launched. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also announced the launch of the second phase of Genome Valley in 300 acres of land with Rs 2,000 crore investment. Speaking at inaugurating BioAsia 2024 on Tuesday, a healthcare and life sciences annual event here, Reddy said the government is planning on establishing three potential integrated Greenfield Pharma Villages (clusters) in Vikarabad, Medak and Nalgonda districts of the State.

Announcing the expansion of Genome Valley, India’s first organised cluster for life sciences research and development, he said, “I am announcing here to establish the next phase of Genome Valley in 300 acres of land with Rs 2,000 crore of investment.”

Elaborating further on the government’s plan for the growth of pharma industry in the State, Telangana IT Minister D Sridhar Babu said that the government has already acquired 300 acres of land for the second phase of Genome Valley, wherein many industrialists in the life sciences sector have expressed their interest to invest by setting up of production units, and R&D facilities.

“Our department will do the due diligence for allotment of the land which depends upon the land area requirement that will be put forward by these companies. Our target is to attract Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore investments over the next five years from the second phase of Genome Valley. RX Propellant and Terminus have come up with Rs 2,000 crore investment to create the necessary infrastructure,” he pointed out.

On establishing the 10 pharma clusters, the IT Minister said that in the first phase three pharma clusters will come up in 2024. The roll out of the other seven Pharma Clusters (village) depends upon procurement of land, wherein each cluster is planned to be developed on 1,000 to 2,000 acres.

“Right now, the policy statement is being done by the CM for the pharma clusters. These 10 clusters will come up in red zone to avoid environment issues going ahead. In the mentioned three districts, the government has its land bank. Based on the policy imprint and on first come first serve basis, the land will be assigned. If an industry needs over 1,000 acres then we will work on creating that land bank,” Sridhar Babu added.

Informing the Congress government’s decision to scrap the previous BRS regime’s proposal for setting up a Pharma City, he said, “Pharma City plan has been shelved and that land will be used for setting up other industries. The government is in talks with those stakeholders to come out with a democratic solution. Till now no investment has taken place at the Pharma City. We have deliberated with various industry leaders before coming to this conclusion. Moreover, industry partners should not be discouraged due to litigations and the farmers who are landowners should not be disappointed.”

On a query about the need of introducing new policies, the IT Minister clarified that only few policies are being updated in accordance with the current needs, without touching upon the broader outlook of the previous government’s policy framework. “Life Science policy is needed as integration of new technologies is taking place for the development of preventive healthcare,” he concluded.