Pharma Dept Launches Special Campaign 6: 12,000 Cleanliness Drives, 1,000+ E-Waste Items Targeted

On October 2, 2026, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) launched Special Campaign 6, a nationwide initiative focused on scientific e-waste management, pendency liquidation, and workplace cleanliness. The campaign runs until October 31, 2026.

The DoP has officially commenced Special Campaign 6, along with its attached and subordinate organizations including the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs), and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

Essentially, Special Campaign 6 is about making government systems more responsive, workplaces cleaner, and governance more people‑friendly. It’s a step toward ensuring that the values of Swachhata and efficiency are not abstract ideals but visible improvements in the daily experiences of ordinary Indians.

Special Campaign 6: E-Waste Management and Pendency Liquidation

For the common man in India, Special Campaign 6 is not just a government initiative—it directly touches everyday life in practical ways. With over 12,000 cleanliness drives, citizens visiting government offices will experience tidier, more organized environments. This means less clutter, smoother access to services, and a more dignified atmosphere.

Safe recycling of obsolete equipment ensures less environmental pollution. This protects public health and contributes to cleaner surroundings, which directly impacts communities. Moreover, removing scrap and unused materials creates more functional workplaces. For citizens, this means government offices that are easier to navigate and more efficient in service delivery.

Faster grievance redressal: The campaign prioritizes clearing pending complaints and references. For ordinary people, this translates into quicker responses to issues filed through platforms like CPGRAMS, reducing frustration and delays.

Better record management: By reviewing thousands of files, the government aims to cut red tape. Citizens benefit from faster processing of applications, reduced waiting times, and more transparent governance.

Preparatory Phase and Transition

Between September 15–30, 2026, the DoP conducted a Preparatory Phase involving:

• Site identification for drives
• Inventory of records
• Establishment of baseline targets

With these foundations in place, the department has now entered the active implementation phase, ensuring systematic progress tracking and daily updates via the national SCDPM portal.

Campaign Metrics and Targets

The scale of Special Campaign 6 is ambitious, with measurable goals across multiple dimensions:

• Cleanliness Drives: 12,208 drives scheduled across offices and outstation units.
• Pendency Liquidation: Resolution of 4 MP references, 2 Parliamentary Assurances, 1 Cabinet proposal, 58 State Government references, 2 PMO references, 72 public grievances, 18 grievance appeals, and 20 rule/process easing items.
• Record Management: Review of 2,716 physical files and 20 e-files to optimize space and streamline documentation.
• Scientific E-Waste Disposal: Targeting 1,011 obsolete equipment items, including:
  • 602 IT & telecom units
  • 196 consumer electronics & photovoltaic devices
  • 53 electrical appliances
  • 5 laboratory instruments
  • 154 miscellaneous electronic assets

Key Focus Areas

The campaign emphasizes three pillars of action:

• Scientific E-Waste Management: Safe segregation and disposal of obsolete equipment.
• Pendency Liquidation: Swift closure of grievances, parliamentary assurances, and official references.
• Space Optimization: Promoting clutter-free work environments through systematic record reviews and scrap clearance.

Institutional Commitment

The Department of Pharmaceuticals, along with its allied organizations such as the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs), and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), is spearheading this initiative.
By aligning with the broader vision of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Special Campaign 6 underscores the government’s dedication to sustainable practices, responsive governance, and workplace efficiency.

Closing Note

As the campaign unfolds, its success will be measured not only in numbers but in the cultural shift it fosters—towards cleaner offices, faster grievance redressal, and environmentally responsible disposal of e-waste.

The Department remains committed to institutionalizing Swachhata and elevating governance standards throughout this month-long nationwide initiative.

In short, Special Campaign 6 is not just about cleaning offices—it’s about modernizing the governance environment in which pharma companies function. It reduces friction in regulatory workflows, sets sustainability standards, and builds a cleaner, more efficient ecosystem for industry growth.

Govt Launches ₹50 Cr Support Track for Pharma & MedTech Startups

The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Department of Pharmaceuticals, has announced a New Discovery Track under the Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma & MedTech (PRIP) Scheme, aimed at empowering startups and MSMEs to venture into high-risk drug discovery and development.

The newly introduced track aims to bridge the crucial funding gap in early‑stage drug discovery. It offers financial support of up to ₹50 crore for each company, project, or portfolio, provided applicants secure at least 25% co‑funding from recognized institutional investors.

This funding will serve as high‑risk capital for startups and MSMEs, encouraging early participation from institutional investors in drug development. By doing so, it will accelerate the advancement of indigenous New Chemical Entities (NCEs) and New Biological Entities (NBEs) from discovery to clinical stages, strengthening India’s pipeline of globally competitive drug innovations.

Key Highlights of the Announcement

• Financial Assistance: Up to ₹50 crore per company/project/portfolio, with mandatory 25% co-funding from institutional investors.
• Eligibility: Startups and MSMEs working on New Chemical Entities (NCEs) or New Biological Entities (NBEs) at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1–3.
• Scope: Projects supported up to TRL 6, enabling progression from discovery to clinical development.
• Total Outlay: ₹5,000 crore to strengthen India’s pharmaceutical and MedTech R&D ecosystem.

Financial assistance of upto ₹50 crore per company/project/portfolio of projects will be provided, subject to a minimum co-funding of 25% of the project cost(s) from bona fide institutional investors.

Priority Areas for Second Call Applications

1. New Medicines – NCEs, NBEs, phytopharmaceutical drugs
2. Complex Generics and biosimilars
3. Novel Medical Devices

Other Funding Tracks

• Early Stage Track: For TRL 1–3 projects; up to ₹5 crore per project; no co-funding required for projects ≤ ₹1 crore.
• Later Stage Track: For TRL 4–6 projects; up to ₹100 crore per project; maximum 35% of project cost covered, rest co-funded by applicant.

Progress So Far

In the first call, 41 projects have already been approved with ₹1,600 crore in financial assistance. Evaluation of remaining applications is ongoing, with results expected soon.

Application Process

• Two-step process for early-stage applicants:
  1. Submit a concept note
  2. Shortlisted applicants submit a detailed application
• Later-stage applicants continue with the detailed application form.
• Guidance documents, FAQs, and toolkits are available on the PRIP Portal.

This initiative is a significant step toward building a globally competitive drug innovation pipeline in India, catalyzing institutional investment and supporting indigenous innovation in pharma and MedTech.

Agilent Unveils Next‑Gen Lab Technologies to Boost India’s Testing Efficiency and Compliance

India's pharmaceutical, food, environmental and industrial testing laboratories are under increasing pressure to process higher testing volumes while maintaining quality, compliance and operational efficiency. From safeguarding the quality of medicines and food to supporting environmental monitoring and advanced manufacturing, laboratories are expected to deliver reliable results faster while meeting increasingly stringent quality and regulatory requirements.

To help laboratories meet these challenges, Agilent Technologies today announced the India launch of the Agilent 9500 Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS, the new 8890B and 8860B Gas Chromatography Systems with GC Assist, and OpenLab Sync, Agilent's new Lab Execution System (LES) that brings guided digital workflows directly to the bench.

“India's laboratories play a critical role in ensuring the quality of medicines, food, water and manufactured products that people rely on every day,” said Nandakumar Kalathil, Country General Manager, India, Agilent Technologies. “As testing requirements continue to grow across industries, laboratories are looking for ways to improve productivity without compromising quality. These new technologies are designed to make advanced capabilities easier to adopt while helping laboratories operate more efficiently and grow with confidence.”

Together, the solutions address three critical areas of laboratory operations: analytical performance, instrument productivity and workflow execution.

The Agilent 9500 Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS helps laboratories generate reliable results across complex sample matrices. Designed for applications ranging from pharmaceutical testing and food safety to environmental analysis and advanced materials research, the system simplifies elemental analysis through new technologies that reduce analytical interferences and streamline operation.

The new Agilent 8890B and 8860B Gas Chromatography Systems with GC Assist help laboratories keep instruments running efficiently through built-in monitoring, diagnostics and guided maintenance. By identifying potential issues earlier and simplifying routine upkeep, the systems help reduce downtime, improve productivity and support data quality.

OpenLab Sync digitizes laboratory procedures that are traditionally managed on paper, creating guided digital workflows that improve consistency, traceability and audit readiness. The solution helps laboratories standardize operations, reduce manual processes and address workforce and training challenges.

The products were unveiled today at a customer event in Mumbai that brought together scientists, laboratory leaders and quality professionals from the pharmaceutical, food, environmental, chemicals and research sectors. Mike Zhang, President, Applied Markets Group, Agilent Technologies, and Bharat Bhardwaj, Vice President and General Manager, Asia Pacific, Agilent Technologies, joined customers and industry stakeholders to discuss evolving laboratory needs, workforce trends, and opportunities to make advanced analytical capabilities more accessible to a broader range of users.

“Innovation has the greatest impact when it makes life simpler,” said Bharat Bhardwaj, Vice President and General Manager, Asia Pacific, Agilent Technologies. “The pace of science continues to accelerate, and customers want solutions that help them spend less time managing complexity and more time focusing on scientific discovery. Our goal is to help laboratories unlock the full value of their technology investments so they can focus on delivering meaningful scientific outcomes.”

The new products are now available across India. As part of its ongoing efforts to make support and expertise more accessible, Agilent has also introduced WhatsApp for Business in India, providing customers with an additional channel to connect with Agilent for information, service and support.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global leader in analytical and clinical laboratory technologies, delivering insights and innovation that help our customers bring great science to life. Agilent’s full range of solutions includes instruments, software, services, and expertise that provide trusted answers to our customers’ most challenging questions. The company generated revenue of $6.95 billion in fiscal year 2025 and employs approximately 18,000 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com. To receive the latest Agilent news, subscribe to the Agilent Newsroom. Follow Agilent on LinkedIn and Facebook.