The Centre has streamlined the blood bank licensing process in India by shifting applications and approvals to a fully digital system, reducing the maximum processing timeline from over a year in some cases to four months.
Dr Rajeev Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), said the transition from physical documentation to an online platform has significantly improved the efficiency of the licensing process.
Under the earlier system, blood bank licensing involved physical files and manual procedures, which often resulted in prolonged processing times. According to the DCGI, some applications remained pending for more than a year.
Digital System Speeds Up Approvals
With the introduction of the digital licensing mechanism, the entire process, from submission of applications to final approval, is now conducted electronically, eliminating the need for physical file movement.
Dr Raghuvanshi stated that the maximum processing period has been reduced to four months, while several applications are receiving approvals in less than a month.
He noted that the transition to a completely digital system has brought a significant change to blood bank licensing procedures across the country.
The reform is aimed at simplifying regulatory processes, reducing administrative delays and improving the efficiency of blood bank licensing in India.
