Since Shri Suresh P. Prabhu, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers joined, he issued directions to the Ministry that all the fertilisers and chemicals units of the Ministry should work towards achieving ISO 14000 standards. ISO 14000 Standards are environmental standard and a unit which follows these standards is supposed to be environmental and competitive. Indo-Gulf, NFL, Duncans, Kochin unit of HOCL have already achieved ISO 14000 Standard. This issue has also been taken with the Fertiliser Association of India so that all these units also strive towards achieving environmental standard.

Instructions were issued by the Minister to take up measures for encouraging technological research in new kinds of fertilisers like bio-fertilizers. The Expert Committee for giving its comments of the bio-fertilizers has now submitted its report and this report is presently under examination with the Ministry.

A proposal for introducing a bill in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Chemicals Weapons Convention was prepared and has been approved by the Minister.

It was decided by the Minister that a separate environmental friendly chemicals States for the chemicals industry should he set up in the country in consultation with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, a scheme in this regard has been prepared and the proposal of various State Governments for setting up this environmental friendly chemicals State is presently under consideration.

There was no effect on the movement and availability of fertilisers following the transporters strike in October. All States received sufficient availability of major fertilisers - Urea, Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP). This was due to the movement of sizeable quantity of potash during the first three weeks of November. On the directives of the Minister, Shri Suresh P. Prabhu, the Ministry through the period of transporters' strike maintained close liaison with the State Government and also established a control room to monitor the situation.

Following the devastating super cyclone, which hit Orissa in November, the Minister, appealed to drug manufacturers to donate medicines to the victims. Following the appeal the Indian Drugs Manufacturers' Association (IDMA) gave Rs.50 lakh in the form of medicines and cheques. The Organisation of Pharmaceutical producers of India (OPPI) also made a collective commitment of over Rs.1 crores in the form of medicines to the cyclone victims following the Minister's appeal.

Two high-powered Committees - the Committee on Drug Pricing Review and the Pharmaceutical Research & Development Committee presented their reports to the Minister. The first Committee is examining the present Drug Pricing Control Order while the second Committee was appointed to recommend measures to strengthen R&D capability of the pharma industry and to identify support required by Indian pharma companies to undertake domestic R&D.

Shri Prabhu launched INDIACHEM 2000 billed as the largest chemical show of this millennium. Beginning October, 2000 in New Delhi, INDIACHEM 2000 will be a maiden effort by India to propel itself into becoming a major player in the chemical, pharmaceutical and petrochemical segments. The Minister said that with economic liberalisation the chemical industry has matured in the country and is now at a stage where it can compete in the global market. Shri Prabhu said that the Govt. was keen that foreign investment in the chemical industry should not be restricted in manufacturing and ancillary industry only, he said what is needed is foreign investment in R&D. INDIACHEM 2000 is being organised by the Dept. of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The Second Phase of the Indian Farmers' Fertiliser Co-operative Ltd. Kandla Expansion Plant was dedicated to the nation by the union home Minister, Shri L.K. Advani. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers presided over the function. Complimenting IFFCO for becoming the world's largest co-operative fertiliser manufacturers. Shri Prabhu called on the co-operative to prepare its VISION 2050 and set up R&D facilities to incorporate latest technologies and produce agricultural chemicals and fertilisers based on knowledge based know-how. The Minister informed that the Government is in the process of framing new policies in this regard to help increase fertiliser consumption and production levels to make India self-sufficient.

A new long term fertiliser policy is being prepared. The new policy will take into account the recommendation of the High Powered Committee while at the same time improving upon these recommendations and also have some new features. New policy will have to primarily relate to the pricing policy for urea and other fertilisers. A substitute to or improvement of the existing Retention price mechanism has to be introduced. Policy for setting up of new units in the fertiliser sector will have to be formulated which will address to the problems of feed stock and possibilities of basing new capacities on LNG as against high cost Naphtha. Prices of urea has to be related to the prices of farmer's output and a mechanism will have to be created for periodic rise in farm gate price of urea. Protection to domestic industry following withdrawal of quantitative restriction on imports of urea and increasingly liberalised global trade in fertilisers as per policy of WTO with which Govt. of India will have to fall in line will be another area to be addressed to in the new policy.

A new system for evaluating the performance of the MD/CMDs of the companies under the Ministry has been prepared. It had been felt that the system in existence was not able to evaluate properly the personal performance of the MD/CMDs. The new system takes into account both the financial performance of the company and the efforts made by the MD/CMDs to improve the performance of the companies. The new system of evaluation has been sent to the Deptt. of Public Enterprises for adoption.

In order to give proper incentive to outstanding performance, Minister has given directions for institution of awards for the best performing PSUs and the best performing officer in the PSUs.

In order to make transparent the functioning of the Ministry, Minister gave directions for preparing a separate web site in the Deptt. of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and Deptt. of Fertilisers. Both the web sites have been prepared and proposed to launch by 2nd February, 2000. Similarly directions have been given to PSUs launch thereon web site on the inter net and make their functioning as transparent as possible. As raw materials for preparation of phosphatic is not available in India and India is completely dependent upon imports for procurement of Phosphatic fertilisers, the Minister gave directions for encouraging setting up of Joint Venures for phosphatic fertilisers with the country where such raw materials are available.

Based on the two Drug Committee Report, work has been initiated for preparation of new drug policy for the country thereby encouraging competition, it will also be ensured that important life saving drugs and common use drugs are available to general public at a reasonable price.

Taking into account the shortage of natural gas for use as feed stock for production of fertilisers and taking into account reserves of coal in the country, the Minister has given directions for taking up research project to make viable use of coal as feed stock.

In order to encourage R&D in the pharma sector, Minister has initiated a number of steps based on the Dr. Mashelkar Committee Report e.g. setting up of pharma R&D firms giving financial concessions for encouraging R&D, etc.

In order to encourage FDI in the chemical, petrochemical and pharma sector, international conference of investors is being planned.