Plastic tech course to begin in Chanda

Nagpur: The Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) is set to launch its branch at Chandrapur from next academic session, Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilizers Hansraj Ahir said on Wednesday. CIPET is managed by his ministry and he had taken initiative to open its courses in his constituency so that the region could produce skilled youth in the new field.The institute offers diploma and engineering degree courses and it already has a branch in Aurangabad. The Chandrapur one for which the state has agreed to provide 15 acres land would have 2500 seats.
Along with NIPER proposed at Nagpur, it would add to the region’s growing importance as an academic hub, Ahir said. He added that recently he had a meeting with the CM Devendra Fadnavis in which it was decided that a medical devices park would be set up in Mihan for which Ahir’s ministry would serve as facilitator.
Stents used in heart surgeries could be one of the products to be produced at this park. Currently, cost of a stent runs into couple of lakh rupees as it is imported. If produced domestically, the cost could come down to around 20,000 only.
Ahir also said that bulk drug parks would be established in Maharashtra, Telangana and Gujarat.
After closure of public sector Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd and Hyderabad-based IDPL, India depends on imports from China for its bulk drug needs. Now the ministry wants to start new units while also reviving HAL and IDPL units under Make in India programme. There is a proposal to start a park in Aurangabad where state government is willing to provide 200 acres land.
Besides opening up Jan Aushadhi (generic medicines) stores at government medical colleges, district, rural hospitals and PHCs, the ministry was also planning to start a mobile medical van service for which clearances were being obtained, said Ahir.