Parliament Question: Promotion of Research and Innovation in PRIP Scheme

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.† 2087 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12th DECEMBER, 2025 Promotion of Research and Innovation in PRIP Scheme †2087. Shri Lumbaram Choudhary: Shri Mahendra Singh Solanky: Shri Praveen Patel: Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato: Shri Dilip Saikia: Shri Dulu Mahato: Shri Vijay Kumar Dubey: Shri Dineshbhai Makwana: Dr. Vinod Kumar Bind: Shri Naba Charan Majhi: Smt. Kamlesh Jangde: Dr. Prashant Yadaorao Padole: Smt. Smita Uday Wagh: Shri Khagen Murmu: Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has recently made amendments in the Promotion of Research and Innovation in (PRIP) Scheme, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; (b) the amount of financial assistance provided for initial and subsequent stage projects under revised guidelines, State-wise; (c) the criteria for identifying strategic priority innovation areas and the form of incentives offered for projects aiming to address high priority public health challenges thereunder; (d) the institutional arrangements made under the said scheme to facilitate development of National Pharma-MedTech innovation ecosystem; and (e) whether the Government proposes dedicated measures to promote Pharma-MedTech investment and research clusters in industrially under-developed regions like Jalgaon Lok Sabha Constituency (Khandesh) in Maharashtra, to generate skilled employment and diversify the regional industrial base?; ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL) (a): Yes. Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech Sector (PRIP) scheme was amended and the amended scheme was notified on 1.10.2025. The recent amendments were carried out to facilitate smooth implementation, bring greater clarity in governance and make benefit-sharing mechanisms more effective. Key features of the scheme as amended are as under:(i) It has two components, namely, Component A: Strengthening the research infrastructure through setting up of centres of excellence at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) and Component B: Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech sector. (ii) Component A is for setting up of centres of excellence at NIPERs. (iii) Component B is for providing financial assistance to support research and development (R&D) for development of products and technologies (outputs) or expeditious validation of R&D outputs for market launch and large-scale commercialisation in three priority areas, namely new medicines, complex generics and biosimilars, and novel medical devices. (b): Under component A, a total of seven centres of excellence have been set up, one at each of the seven NIPERs established at the following places: (1) NIPER, Mohali, in the State of Punjab, with an approved outlay of ₹100 crore; (2) NIPER, Ahmedabad, in the State of Gujarat, with an approved outlay of ₹110 crore; (3) NIPER, Guwahati, in the State of Assam, with an approved outlay of ₹100 crore; (4) NIPER, Kolkata, in the State of West Bengal, with an approved outlay of ₹100 crore; (5) NIPER, Raebareli, in the State of Uttar Pradesh, with an approved outlay of ₹100 crore; (6) NIPER, Hajipur, in the State of Bihar, with an approved outlay of ₹99.99 crore; and (7) NIPER, Hyderabad, in the State of Telangana, with an approved outlay of ₹90 crore. Under component B of the scheme, for Early Stage Projects, MSMEs and startups may apply for projects costing up to ₹9 crore for assistance of up to ₹5 crore. For Later Stage Projects, projects of industry, MSMEs and startups costing up to ₹285 crore may apply for assistance up to ₹100 crore. The scale of financial assistance for Early Stage Projects is 100% for cost up to ₹1 crore and 50% of additional cost beyond ₹1 crore, subject to a maximum up to ₹5 crore. The scale for financial assistance for Later Stage Projects is 35% of the project cost (50% in case of projects in Strategic Priority Innovation areas), subject to a maximum of ₹100 crore. Under this component, the Department of Pharmaceuticals has invited applications for research and innovation projects from pharmaceutical and MedTech industry and startups. The application process for financial assistance under component B of the scheme does not require startups and industries to declare the State where they are registered. (c): The criteria adopted for inclusion of projects in Strategic Priority Innovation areas is that they address areas of India’s public health concern for which market potential is relatively lower. For Later Stage Projects in these areas, financial assistance may be to the extent of 50% of the approved total project cost, as against 35% for projects in other areas, subject to a maximum of ₹100 crore. (d): The arrangements under the scheme to institutionally promote the national pharma- MedTech innovation ecosystem include the following: (i) Under component A, institutional strengthening of research infrastructure has been undertaken through the setting up of centres of excellence at the seven National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, which are institutes ofnational importance for imparting postgraduate and doctoral education and conduct high-end research in various specialisations in pharmaceutical sciences and medical technologies. These centres are in the specialisations of anti-viral and anti-bacterial drug discovery and development, medical devices, bulk drugs, flow chemistry and continuous manufacturing, novel drug delivery system, phyto-pharmaceuticals and biological therapeutics, with a view to help in building specific research capacities in the identified priority areas, tapping industry-academia linkage. These are aimed at strengthening the research infrastructure in the pharma-MedTech sector by providing advanced facilities to conduct research and help in nurturing talent pool by promoting industry-academia linkage. (ii) Under component B, industry and startups are encouraged under the scheme to collaborate flexibly with reputed Government academic and research institutions specified in the Scheme guidelines to develop, translate and commercialise institutional intellectual property and to augment institutional research capacities in India. (e): The Department of Pharmaceuticals has launched the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals, the PLI scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs) / Drug Intermediates (DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in India (commonly referred to as PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs), the Strengthening of Pharmaceuticals Industry scheme, PRIP scheme and the Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks to promote pharma-MedTech investment and research across regions, including in clusters in industrially underdeveloped regions, with a view to promote the industry and generate skilled and unskilled employment. Under the PLI Schemes for Pharmaceuticals and Bulk Drugs and the Strengthening of Pharmaceuticals Industry scheme, projects spread across 21 States and Union territories at over 540 manufacturing locations, including 18 projects located in districts identified as aspirational districts by NITI Aayog, have been approved. *****