Government is considering the request from the small and medium sized pharma firms regarding the difficulties faced by them on barcoding on labels.

During consultations with industry stakeholders about implementation of bar-coding, “some small and medium size companies represented that they are finding it difficult to implement the same due to requirement of huge investment in printing barcoding on labels and also due to lack of trained personnel to use sophisticated machinery and software of barcoding,” Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said in a reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

In view of industry representations, government is examining the request for appropriate action, she added. The system for implementation of trace and track barcoding features on tertiary and secondary level packaging was made effective from October 1, 2011 and January 1, 2013 respectively, Sitharaman said.

However, due to representations from industry regarding problems in implementation of barcoding on primary packaging, the government considering it favourably and has put it on hold till further notice, Sitharaman said.

 Source: Millennium Post

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