Gorakhpur: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday urged the pharmaceutical sector to act responsibly against counterfeit medicines, calling them a serious threat to public health. Addressing the annual program of the Chemists and Druggists Federation, he said, “Uttar Pradesh is the country’s largest consumer market for medicines, with over 1.10 lakh registered medical shops and nearly five lakh people engaged in this trade. The responsibility is immense.”
He stressed, “Maintaining public trust is the biggest capital in the pharmaceutical business. Spurious drugs are a direct threat to public health. Society must remain alert, and chemists must ensure these practices are completely eliminated.”
He also urged a crackdown on illegal narcotics sales, citing recent government actions in Agra and other districts. Highlighting the crackdown on illegal narcotics, he added, “Traders who expose illegal activities will have full government support and protection.”
On transforming UP into a pharmaceutical hub, he said, “This will create new opportunities, ensure better and safer healthcare, boost exports, and generate large-scale employment.” A large pharma park is under development in Lalitpur, and former drug controller general Dr GN Singh has been appointed as the state’s pharma advisor.
On GST reforms, CM Yogi noted that the September 3 GST Council meeting reduced tax rates on medicines and made life-saving insurance policies almost GST-free, benefiting both consumers and traders.
The event was attended by minister of state for food safety Dayashankar Mishra Dayalu, Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan Shukla, mayor Dr Manglesh Srivastava, MLC and BJP state vice president Dr Dharmendra Singh, and representatives from state medicine associations.
