Ranchi: Registration and renewal of registration of pharmacists who run medicine shops across the state will start from May 21 at newly active Jharkhand State Pharmacy Council, Bariatu here.

Confirming this in a communiqué on Wednesday, registrar-cum-secretary of the council Kaushlendra Kumar said a list of registered pharmacists would be prepared by August 31, which would also pave the way for pharmacists to elect their six-member state council body.

Kumar's communiqué also announced hiring a pharmacy inspector in each district.

Council chairman Dr T.P. Barnwal confirmed the development, saying pharmacists' registration was needed under section 32(2) of The Pharmacy Act 1948. Under this, a person on paying the prescribed fee could be registered provided he was aged 18 years or more, resided in the state, was in the business or profession of pharmacy and had passed an approved exam or possessed an approved qualification.

Of the around 7,000 pharmacists in the state, hardly 3,000 have any degree/diploma certificate. The rest run medicine shops through experience only.

Barnwal said initially qualified pharmacists would be registered. The government (state health department) will later decide whether to register the others.

Barnwal said Rs 150 in the form of postal order will be taken as fee for registration.

The state pharmacy council, a statutory body under the Pharmacy Council of India, had stayed inactive in Jharkhand all these years. It is only now becoming operational. Around two months ago, Barnwal had been appointed as the council chairman.