The Bulk Drug Park at Una in Himachal Pradesh has received environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, a key milestone for India’s pharmaceutical infrastructure. The approval clears the way for the project to move forward under Himachal Pradesh Bulk Drug Park Infrastructure Ltd, which operates under the state industry department.

The park involves a capital outlay of 2,071 crore rupees, of which about 996.45 crore will come as grant-in-aid from the central government, and approximately 1,074.55 crore will be funded by the state government. It is expected to spark additional investment potential in the region of 8,000 to 10,000 crore rupees, and generate between 15,000 and 20,000 direct and indirect jobs.

This development forms part of the central government’s “Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks” scheme, launched in March 2020, which aims to enhance India’s self-reliance in the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and key starting materials (KSMs). The detailed project report was submitted by the state’s industries department, appraised by the Project Management Agency, and approved by the Scheme Steering Committee in October 2022.

Before granting environmental clearance, the Expert Appraisal Committee examined aspects including wastewater management, drainage patterns, ecological sensitivity, seismic risk, landslide susceptibility and risk assessment. Technical inputs were prepared by institutions like NIT Hamirpur and the Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee, ensuring compliance with environmental and safety guidelines.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu remarked that the Una Bulk Drug Park will significantly strengthen Himachal Pradesh’s standing as a hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing and offer large-scale employment opportunities. Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan added that the clearance will speed up implementation, supporting India’s goal of reducing dependency on imported APIs. Officials say the project will be developed in a time-bound manner, in compliance with both central and state norms, and aims to ensure environmental safeguards like zero liquid discharge and minimum disturbance to local ecology.