Question : Development of Infrastrucutre of NIPERs

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

(a) whether six National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) have been declared as the Institutes of National Importance in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the development of requisite infrastructure for these NIPERs has been delayed by more than a decade and if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government proposes to review these works and set a timeframe for construction of campus with permanent buildings for these NIPERs and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to set up new NIPERS and if so, the details thereof?

(a): National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Act was enacted in the year 1998 for setting up of an individual institute of national importance, viz., NIPER at SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab. The Act was subsequently amended in the year 2007 permitting establishment of similar institutes in different parts of the country. Six new NIPERs at Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Raebareli and Hajipur were accordingly set up in 2007-08. In December, 2021, the Parliament has passed NIPER (Amendment) Bill, 2021 clarifying amongst others, that existing NIPERs and similar institutes set up subsequently would be institutes of national importance

(b) and (c): NIPER at Mohali has a full-fledged campus with state of art laboratories and regular faculty. As regard six other NIPERs set up during 2007-08, the department has provided more than Rs. 1,200 cr. since their inception for their infrastructure and activities. These six NIPERs have since been sanctioned regular faculty and other administrative posts, most of which have been filled up. All these NIPERs have been provided funds for setting up of well-equipped laboratories. The construction of campus of NIPER at Guwahati has almost been completed and construction of campus of NIPER at Ahmedabad is in full swing. Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) in its meeting held on 24th September, 2021 has further approved Rs. 1,500 cr. for the five-year period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 for setting up/ up-gradation of existing seven NIPERs, including construction of their regular campuses.

(d) Expenditure Finance Committee in its last meeting has not supported proposal for creation of new NIPERs at present stage.