DW BUREAU / SHIMLA Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while virtually addressing the members of State Pharmacy Council from Kasauli in Solan district on the occasion of Pharmacist Day said that the Pharmacists played a crucial role during the corona pandemic and after the doctor, it is the pharmacist on whom the patients have maximum faith. Jai Ram Thakur said that Pharmacists have to serve the people keeping all these things in mind so that the medicine does not have any wrong effect on the health of any person in any way. He said that the job of a pharmacist was not only to give medicines to the patients, but also to educate and counsel them for their speedy recovery. He said that Union Government has sanctioned a Bulk Drug Park for Himachal Pradesh which would prove a boon to the economy of the State. He said that with the setting up of a bulk drug park, India's dependence on China for raw materials would become negligible and the monopoly of China would almost end. Thousands of crores of rupees would be saved as the pharma companies in Himachal would get raw material in the State itself and the manufacturing of medicines would also become cheaper, thereby reduce the cost of medicines, he added. Chief Minister said that while virtually addressing the Yuva Vijay Sankalp rally organized at Mandi on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had admired the potential of Himachal in pharmacy sector and said that Himachal's identity as a world pharmacy would be strengthened with this Bulk Drug Park. Chief Minister said that Baddi area of the State had emerged as the biggest pharma hub of Asia and the medicines manufactured at Baddi area during the pendemic was supplied throughout the world. He said, a Medical Device Park was being set up at Nalagarh at a cost of Rs 349 crore has also been approved and MoUs worth crores of rupees have also been signed. He said that this would provide employment to about 10,000 people. The Chief Minister also launched the portal of Pharmacy Council on the occasion.Health Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal said that 25th September was celebrated as World Pharmacist Day across the world to honour and respect the pharmacists. He said that World Pharmacist Day was started in 2009 by the International Pharmaceutical Federation in Istanbul to encourage the role of pharmacists in improving health in every corner of the world. President Himachal Pradesh State Pharmacy Council Gopal Kishan Sharma welcomed the Chief Minister, Health Minister and other dignitaries present on the occasion. Special Secretary Rajeshwar Goyal, representatives of Pharmacy Council of Himachal Sanjeev Pandit, Kamlesh Nayak were also present on the occasion among others. (editor@dailyworld.in)