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Separate pricing models for different drug categories
New Delhi: The Government is likely to develop different models to regulate prices of drugs in different categories.

To start with, it is planning to create a separate hospital supply medicine list that would not be subject to any price control. Officials in the chemicals and fertilisers ministry say 39 drugs from the 354 drugs in the National List of Essential Medicines would fall in this category.

A second category of drugs would come under the cost-based price control. Currently, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) monitors 74 bulk drugs, but officials said this number could be brought down.

For the remaining medicines in the essential drug list, the Government is planning to cap the ceiling prices based on the weighted average of the maximum retail price (MRP) of the top three brands in both volume terms and value terms.

The Government also hopes to ensure the availability and affordability of drugs used for treatment of diseases such as cancer and HIV/AIDS.
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CII retail seminar in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is organising a day-long seminar on `Organised Retail: Opportunities in AP' on Tuesday. The seminar will highlight the global retail scenario and the opportunities in tier II cities.

Speakers from ITC, Trammell Crow Meghraj, Inorbit Malls, Trinethra Super Market, IVR Prime Urban Developers, and State officials from the Industries and Commerce Department and the Municipal Corporation will participate.
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AP Govt. to outsource jobs
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh Government says it might go in for outsourcing jobs that cannot be handled by it.

The chief minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said to improve the financial strengths of the civic bodies, the Government would also allow regularisation of unauthorised structures. He also wanted the civic bodies to acquire land and develop them into plots. Besides giving them revenues, this would help keep tabs on unauthorised ventures.
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Gujarat may implement VAT soon
Kolkata: Gujarat is expected to join the other VAT implementing States soon.

Anilbhai Patel, minister for Industries, Mines & Minerals, Gujarat, speaking at an interactive session organised by the Merchants Chamber of Commerce here on Saturday, said all the BJP-ruled States were now reviewing the VAT situation jointly, and would soon join the VAT regime.

The minister, now touring in West Bengal, is heading a 15-member high-power State delegation, scouting for investments in Gujarat in both manufacturing, including power and gas, and the services sector.

He said Gujarat's commitment to tax reforms was industry-friendly, and highly focused on rationalisation, simplification, transparency and harmonisation in rate structure. The reforms in sales tax carried out so far were in sync with the Government's commitment to introduce VAT at the appropriate time. The State had already abolished turnover tax and the number of sales tax (main) slabs had been reduced from 17 to six now.
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