CARe Keralam yet to undertake significant projects even after 3 years of inauguration

Kerala, June 22, 2015
The Consortium of Ayurvedic Renaissance Keralam (CARe Keralam), the Rs.15 crore industry-government partnership cluster initiative for Ayurveda sector in Kerala, is yet to undertake significant projects for the promotion of medicinal plant farming and manufacturing ayurvedic formulations, although three years have passed after its operation was formally kicked off.

The cluster, which was formed mainly to support the medicinal plant cultivators and promote the classical Ayurveda drugs by conducting scientific validation studies, is not undertaking any project or contract work towards its ultimate goal, says officials in the ISM department of the state. The cluster project was kicked off with the financial assistance of the erstwhile central Ayush department, Kerala government and members of the consortium. The department of Ayush had given Rs.10 crore for developing the project.

It is claimed that the major achievement of the common facility centre within the three years’ time is the completion of a scientific validation study on the efficacy of the anti-diabetes Ayurveda formulation, Nizhakathakadi Kashaayam, and preparation of its drug master file (dossier). The report was later submitted to the department of Ayush, but no follow up action has been taken on it so far, according to reliable sources.

Senior Ayurveda drugs controller from the ISM department, Dr Smart P John, said no significant activity is carried out presently at the cluster for supporting the Ayurveda drugs manufacturing industry in the state. The unit is neither helping the manufacturers nor the medicinal plant cultivators.

The main objective of the cluster is to help the medicinal plant cultivators by collecting their produce and sell it to the manufacturing companies, especially small scale units on a reasonable rate. But, this activity is not undertaken at the Cluster at Koratty in Thrissur district. Only encapsulation work for a small number of contract manufacturers is done there, said Dr Smart.

“No collection of raw materials, or sale, or manufacture of formulations, or marketing of products is being carried out there. It is now functioning only for the work of ten loan-licensees (25 E) whose products are manufactured there. For manufacturing formulations at Care Keralam, 25 E licence has to be taken from the department of Ayurveda which so far issued only ten licences for soft gel capsule”, he added.

There is complaint from the side of medicinal plant farmers about the functioning of the common facility centre. According to them CARe Keralam is not lending a help hand either by collecting their produce or by giving technical support.

Reji Joseph, convener of the Attappadi Medicinal Plant Farmers Group has said that the Cluster is not doing anything favourably for the medicinal plant cultivators in the state, but working for the development of manufacturing companies. The officials at the cluster are working on the advice of the leading manufacturers.

“The cluster has the duty to collect raw materials from the local farmers and also from other states, and supply to the local manufacturers. But CARe Keralam is not doing anything though government has spent plenty of money”, the farmer added.

Dr Anitha Jacob, director of department of ISM, said it is unfortunate that the facilities of a big government organisation like CARe Keralam are not utilized for the welfare of the medicinal plant farmers and for the small scale manufacturers. It has all the facilities equal to that of Oushadhi, the government owned company. The lab and other technical units are having well-equipped facilities, but no operation is going on there.

When contacted, executive director of CARe Keralam, Dr Joy Varghese, who took so much pains to bring up the cluster, said, “we are trying our best to develop the activities. We have got one new managing director now. At present we are concentrating on conducting seminars and workshops”.

The drugs inspector at the department said the cluster is operating with no regular technical staff and all workers are on contract bass.

Dr Ramanathan, secretary of the manufacturers association (AMMOI) said the cluster is in its budding stage, so, it will take some time to pick up. He said AMMOI will support the cluster unit.