The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday launched the State Health Regulatory Excellence Index (SHRESTH), an initiative aimed at benchmarking and strengthening state drug regulatory systems through a transparent, data-driven framework.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, unveiling the index alongside Drug Controller General of India Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, said the initiative will help states identify gaps in their regulatory capacity and work towards achieving “maturity certification.”
“Ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of medicines is a commitment of the Government to every citizen in India,” Srivastava said, urging stronger Centre–state collaboration to maintain the credibility of India’s pharmaceutical industry. She added that the SHRESTH Index will target improvements in human resources, infrastructure, and digitisation, while also promoting cross-learning among states.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), in consultation with states, has developed the index to rank them in two categories — manufacturing states and primarily distribution states/UTs. Manufacturing states will be evaluated on 27 parameters across five themes: human resources, infrastructure, licensing, surveillance, and responsiveness, while distribution states will be assessed on 23 parameters.
Data will be submitted monthly by states and scored by the first day of the following month. CDSCO will also share best practices from top-performing states to promote harmonisation of drug regulatory processes nationwide.
According to the ministry, the index is not meant to be a scorecard but a roadmap for states to strengthen regulatory systems and ensure the availability of safe, effective medicines and medical devices.
The launch was attended virtually by health secretaries, principal health secretaries, and drug controllers from states and UTs, as well as senior officials from the health ministry.