Union Minister Launches ₹500 Crore Scheme to Strengthen India’s Medical Device Sector

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri JP Nadda, launched a transformative initiative—the Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry. This comprehensive scheme, with a total outlay of ₹500 crores, aims to address critical areas of the medical device industry in India, including manufacturing of key components, skill development, clinical studies, infrastructure development, and industry promotion.

Key Highlights of the Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry

The Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry is designed to enhance the growth and self-reliance of India’s medical device sector. The scheme will target key areas of the industry, such as:

• Manufacturing of critical components and accessories
• Skill development programs
• Support for clinical studies
• Development of common infrastructure for manufacturers
• Promotion of industry growth

Shri JP Nadda, while launching the scheme, expressed that it will serve as a “gamechanger” for India’s medical device sector. He also emphasized the government’s commitment to making India self-reliant in manufacturing medical devices and highlighted the importance of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme as a significant step in this direction.

The Medical Device Industry: A Crucial Pillar of Healthcare

The medical device industry is vital for India’s healthcare infrastructure, encompassing products like diagnostic machines, surgical instruments, stents, prosthetics, and more. The industry plays a pivotal role in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various diseases. India’s medical device market, valued at approximately $14 billion, is projected to grow to $30 billion by 2030. With this growth, the Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry is poised to significantly contribute to the sector’s development.

Components of the Scheme: Financial Outlay and Sub-Schemes

The total outlay of ₹500 crores for the scheme is distributed across five sub-schemes, each aimed at addressing specific challenges faced by the industry. These sub-schemes include:

1. Common Facilities for Medical Devices Clusters – ₹110 Crores

This sub-scheme focuses on creating common infrastructure facilities, such as R&D labs, Design Centers, Animal Labs, and Testing Facilities, for manufacturers. Financial assistance of up to ₹20 crores for common facilities and ₹5 crores for testing facilities will be provided.

2. Marginal Investment Scheme for Reducing Import Dependence – ₹180 Crores

To reduce the country’s reliance on imports, this sub-scheme supports the domestic manufacturing of key components, raw materials, and accessories. It offers a capital subsidy of 10-20% with a maximum cap of ₹10 crores per project.

3. Capacity Building and Skill Development for Medical Devices – ₹100 Crores

This sub-scheme will provide financial support for running Masters’ and short-term courses aimed at developing a skilled workforce for the MedTech sector. Support will be offered for Masters’ courses (up to ₹21 crores) and short-term courses (₹10,000 per candidate) at approved institutes.

4. Medical Device Clinical Studies Support Scheme – ₹100 Crores

This sub-scheme provides financial assistance for clinical studies, including animal studies, human trials, and clinical performance evaluations of medical devices. Up to ₹5 crores will be available for clinical trials, aiming to enhance product safety and efficacy and support Indian manufacturers in obtaining international registrations.

5. Medical Device Promotion Scheme – ₹10 Crores

Focused on promoting industry activities, this sub-scheme will provide financial support to industry associations and export councils for organizing conferences, surveys, and studies to promote the medical device industry.

Addressing Challenges in the Medical Device Manufacturing Sector

Despite government support, the Indian medical device manufacturing sector faces significant challenges, particularly in infrastructure and supply chain issues. To address these, the scheme’s sub-schemes offer targeted solutions, such as the development of common facilities and financial support for strengthening testing infrastructure. These efforts will reduce India’s dependency on imports and promote domestic manufacturing of critical medical components.

Future Outlook: Promoting Innovation and Self-Reliance in the Medical Device Sector

The future of India’s medical device industry looks promising with increasing innovation and cost-effective solutions. The government’s efforts to foster a conducive environment for domestic manufacturers will play a crucial role in establishing India as a self-reliant hub for high-quality medical devices. The scheme will encourage innovation, support skill development, and reduce India’s reliance on foreign imports, paving the way for the sector’s growth and development.

Conclusion: A Step Towards Making India Self-Reliant

The Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry is a significant step towards making India self-reliant in the manufacturing of medical devices. With an estimated ₹500 crore investment, the scheme addresses key challenges faced by the industry, such as infrastructure gaps, dependency on imports, and the need for skilled professionals. By focusing on critical areas like clinical studies, infrastructure development, and industry promotion, the scheme promises to foster growth, encourage innovation, and position India as a global leader in medical device manufacturing.

Key Takeaways:

• The Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry was launched by Shri JP Nadda with an outlay of ₹500 crores.
• The scheme includes five sub-schemes targeting infrastructure, skill development, and clinical studies.
• India’s medical device market is projected to grow to $30 billion by 2030, and this scheme will play a crucial role in achieving that growth.
• The scheme aims to reduce import dependence and promote domestic manufacturing of critical medical components.

By emphasizing India’s self-reliance and the government’s support for the sector, this scheme will revolutionize the medical device industry and contribute significantly to the country’s healthcare system.

Here are some multiple-choice questions (MCQs) based on the article:

1. Who launched the ‘Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry’ in India?

a) Smt. Anupriya Patel
b) Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda
c) Shri Arunish Chawla
d) Prime Minister Narendra Modi

2. What is the total financial outlay for the ‘Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry’?

a) ₹300 crores
b) ₹500 crores
c) ₹700 crores
d) ₹1,000 crores

3. Which sub-scheme is designed to reduce India’s dependence on imported medical device components?

a) Capacity Building and Skill Development
b) Marginal Investment Scheme for Reducing Import Dependence
c) Medical Device Clinical Studies Support Scheme
d) Common Facilities for Medical Devices Clusters

4. How much financial support will be provided for clinical performance evaluations of new in-vitro diagnostic products?

a) ₹1 Crore
b) ₹2.5 Crore
c) ₹5 Crore
d) ₹10 Crore

5. What is the projected value of India’s medical device market by 2030?

a) $14 billion
b) $20 billion
c) $30 billion
d) $50 billion

6. Which sub-scheme focuses on creating common infrastructure for medical device clusters?

a) Marginal Investment Scheme
b) Common Facilities for Medical Devices Clusters
c) Capacity Building and Skill Development
d) Medical Device Promotion Scheme

7. What type of financial assistance will be provided under the ‘Capacity Building and Skill Development for Medical Devices’ sub-scheme?

a) Support for Masters’ courses in central government institutions
b) Financial support for research and development labs
c) Subsidy for raw material procurement
d) Grants for advertising and promotions

8. Which of the following is NOT one of the sub-schemes under the ‘Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry’?

a) Medical Device Promotion Scheme
b) Common Facilities for Medical Devices Clusters
c) Medical Device Manufacturing Expansion Scheme
d) Medical Device Clinical Studies Support Scheme

9. What will be the maximum grant provided for setting up testing facilities for medical devices?

a) ₹2 Crore
b) ₹5 Crore
c) ₹20 Crore
d) ₹10 Crore

10. What is one of the primary goals of the ‘Medical Device Clinical Studies Support Scheme’?

a) To promote exports of medical devices
b) To assist with clinical studies, including animal trials and human trials
c) To provide marketing support for new devices
d) To reduce the cost of medical device production

These MCQs cover the main points of the article and test knowledge on the details of the scheme and its components.