Date:29/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/29/stories/2005082902471300.htm

Back Goa Govt keen to help set up pvt pharmacy college

Our Correspondent

Panaji , Aug. 28

THE Goa Government is ready to support the setting up of a private pharmacy college in the State to cater to the growing demand of manpower for the pharmaceutical industries. The Education Minister, Mr Luizinho Faleiro, announced this in the State Assembly last week.

He was replying to a debate on demands for grants to the Education Department. The State currently has a Government-owned pharmaceutical college.

"There is tremendous demand for D. Pharm, B. Pharm and M. Pharm students and the Government may appoint a search committee comprising representatives of the Education Department and the Director of Technical Education to study upgradation of the present government pharmacy college," he said.

The Minister said the requirement of pharma graduates in Goa itself was very high considering the large number of pharma companies in the State.

Moreover, Goa was fast turning into a pharma hub. Unveiling the roadmap of education, Mr Faleiro stated that from June 2006, NCERT syllabus would be introduced in Goa, which he said, was required for students to compete effectively at the national and international level.

Apart from the computer literacy programme, he also announced plans to try and reach 100 per cent literacy in the State, which has over 80 per cent literacy at the moment. For this purpose, the Minister announced plans to start mobile schools, night schools, residential bridge courses and audio-visual facilities.