Himachal Pradesh has become the third State in the country to launch Xtended Licensing Node (XLN) for filing online applications and issuing drug licenses and online food licensing and registration system. Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh launched the same here today. Chief Minister said that Xtended Licensing Node system was e-governance friendly which would bring more transparency and efficiency in the drug licensing procedure. He said that under the system physical file movement from field to head office and correspondence between department and stakeholders would be stopped besides acceptance of applications and license delivery mechanism had been decentralized to the district offices.
Virbhadra Singh said that under the system the licencee would get SMS on his registered mobile number when the application would be marked to drugs inspector for the inspection till the entire process of getting license. Besides, maintaining of drug register would become more easy and duplication of the name of registered pharmacists could be checked. He said that the software would show the inward applications as well as the pending applications with the licensing authorities and drugs inspectors in the State.
He said that this software would also be used to link up with Composite Testing Laboratory, Kandaghat thereby providing the seamless interface with drug testing facilities. He said that system was citizen centric as they could easily locate particular chemist shops having life saving drugs and they can also locate availability of a particular blood group/component at any nearest blood bank. Besides, the general public could also get information about standard and drug samples for life saving drugs of manufactured alongwith batch number, manufacture/ expiry dates etc. Chief Minister said that online Food Licensing and Registration System would ease to use interface for Food Business Operators (FBO) and to equip the State Authorities to manage the large number of applications from FBOs besides improving transparency, work flow, streamline reporting etc. Chief Minister was also presented a cheque of Rs. 11 lakh by Himachal Drugs Manufacturers Association towards Red Cross Society which was handed over to Smt. Anita Tegta, Secretary to the Governor by the Chief Minister.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Shri Kaul Singh Thakur thanked the Chief Minister for launching online XLN and online Food Licensing and Registration System and said that it would be more useful for the department and stakeholders. He said that Rs. 1.6 crore had been spent for setting up this system. He said that State Government has sent a project of Rs. 70 crore to the Government of India for strengthening the Composite Testing Laboratory, Kandaghat, to establish Drugs Laboratory at Baddi and to strengthen the Drugs Control Administration. He said that Himachal Pradesh had become pharma hub of the country and was producing medicines worth Rs. 35,000 crore. Shri Ali Raza Rizvi, Principal Secretary, Health apprised the Chief Minister about the salient features of both the websites.
Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Forest Minister, Shri Dhani Ram Shandil, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Shri Sanjay Chauhan, Mayor, Shimla Municipal Corporation, Shri T.G. Negi, Advisor to the Chief Minister, Shri P.C. Dhiman, Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Amitabh Awasthi, Special Secretary, Health, Dr. Kulbhushan Sood, Director, Health Department, Shri Ashok Sharma, Director, Health Safety and Regulations and senior officers were present on the occasion.