PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
In an important initiative, the Uttarakhand State Cooperative Federation (UCF) has decided to revive the Cooperative Drug Factory (CDF) in Ranikhet in Almora district and the Uttarakhand State Medicine and Paramedical Limited (UMPL), Halduchaud in Nainital district.
Both units, now defucnt, will begin manufacturing Ayurvedic medicines by installing modern machinery, state-of-the-art laboratories and advanced production systems.
The Cooperation minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that the State government is committed to making the cooperative sector a powerful vehicle for economic development and employment generation. He said that the cooperative industrial units that have been closed for years are being revived and modernized. Rawat stated that UCF has developed a comprehensive action plan for the revival of CDF and UMPL. “Both units are undergoing renovations, installation of modern equipment and the development of a quality-based production system, which will give Uttarakhand a new identity in the field of Ayurvedic medicine manufacturing,’’ he said.
Rawat added that both the units will manufacture traditional Ayurvedic medicines such as powders, tablets, juices, ash, oils, Asava-Arishta, Guggul, and Avleha Pak. Key products will include Mahashankh Vati, Arogyavardhini Vati, Triphala powder, Ashwagandha Powder, Arjunarishta, Dashmularishta, Mahanarayan oil, and Abhrak Bhasma.
He claimed that once fully operational both the units will will create over 200 direct local employment opportunities. “In addition to providing employment to youth from Ranikhet, Halduchaud and surrounding areas, 500 to 1,000 farmers cultivating medicinal and aromatic plants will also be directly connected to these units. Through activities such as raw material supply, transportation, processing, packaging, marketing and distribution, thousands of people will receive indirect employment and livelihood opportunities, thereby strengthening the rural economy,’’ he said. Rawat said both the units will have an annual turnover of about Rs 100 crore and they are expected to generate a profit of Rs 10- 15 crore per year.
