Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr Pawan Kotwal today launched online licensing system for obtaining drug license and its renewal of retail sale and wholesale establishments.Drugs & Food Control Organization (D&FCO) J&K in cooperation with XLN Cloud launched the new system for obtaining online license/renewal of retail sale and wholesale establishments under the provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and rules 1945.Dr Kotwal thanked NIC, specifically SO National Informatics Centre (NIC) J&K, Navneet Kukreja and team from NIC Gujarat for standing to its commitment and providing all the IT related support required in making the licensing system of D&FCO online.He expressed the hope that the online licensing system will bring transparency, accountability and swiftness in the existing system and will reduce the time span in the licensing procedure. He also said that online licensing will strengthen the functioning of the drug regulatory system and effective implementation of working in the department.
He also said that stakeholders would be immensely benefited by adopting the online licensing system as the same exempt them from avoidable procedural hassles.As per the process, the applicant has to upload all requisite documents as mentioned under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and then a Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) number will be given to him. The applicant also has to submit a hard copy of the file.Apart from checking the status, their license would be delivered on applicant’s online address and the applicant would also be able to get a hard copy of the license from the department.On the occasion, Dr Kotwal handed over drug license to two pharmacists which will be valid up to 5 years of time span.Controller Drug & Food J&K, Lotika Khajuria, Deputy Controller Drugs & Food Kashmir, Ishrat Amin, Administration Officer Shabeer Ahmad Lalla besides senior officers of the department were present on the occasion.