The National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 (NPRD, 2021) provides financial and medical support of up to Rs. 50 Lakh per patient for the treatment of 63 identified rare diseases through 15 designated Centres of Excellence. This policy aims to address the high cost of imported drugs for rare diseases.
Additionally, the Union Cabinet approved a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals on February 24, 2021, to boost domestic manufacturing, investment, and product diversification in the pharmaceutical sector. Under this scheme, Risdiplam, an API for Spinal Muscular Atrophy treatment, is being manufactured by Biophore India Pharmaceuticals Private Limited. Natco Pharma Limited has also launched a generic version of this drug in India and is manufacturing it domestically.
This information was conveyed by Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021: Policy facilitating financial and medical support for the treatment of rare diseases.
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals: Scheme aimed at enhancing India's pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers: The ministry providing the information about the policy.
Anupriya Patel: Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, who provided the information.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers :
Department of Pharmaceuticals
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Posted On: 13 MAR 2026 3:42PM by PIB Delhi
As informed by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, many of the drugs required for the treatment of rare
diseases are expensive as they are imported from outside the country. National Policy for Rare Diseases
2021 (NPRD, 2021) facilitates financial and medical support of up to Rs. 50 Lakh per patient for treatment
of any of the 63 identified rare diseases through 15 designated Centres of Excellence.
Further, the Union Cabinet on 24.02.2021 has approved Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for
Pharmaceuticals with the objective to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities by increasing investment
and production in the pharmaceuticals sector and contributing to product diversification to high-value
goods in the pharmaceutical sector. Risdiplam, which is the API used in formulations to treat Spinal
Muscular Atrophy, is being manufactured by Biophore India Pharmaceuticals Private Limited under PLI
Scheme for Pharmaceuticals. Further, Natco Pharma Limited has launched the generic version of the drug
in Indian market and is manufacturing the product domestically.
This information was given by Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a
written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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