India has 16L registered pharmacists

New Delhi: There are 16 lakh registered pharmacists in India and around three lakh of them are passing out every year from pharmacy institutions across the country, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar told Lok Sabha on Friday.

In a written reply to a question, the health minister said the Centre has provided Rs 651.97 crore for strengthening the drug regulatory system, including upgradation of

existing state laboratories, setting up of new drug testing laboratories and upgradation of existing state drug control offices.