Mansukh Mandaviya says cheap, good quality medicine available at over 9,000 Janaushadhi Kendras in country
New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday said cheap, but quality medicine was available over 9000 Janaushadhi Kendra opened across the country. Speaking to the media, Mandaviya said, "I visited one Kendra in Bhubaneswar too and met several beneficiaries. They told me that branded medicines available at Rs 200 in the market are available at Rs 50 here".
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana has made phenomenal progress in the last 8 years and Janaushadhi Kendra has become the medicine shop of the poor in the country, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya had said in November 2022.
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya claimed that 8,809 Janaushadhi stores operational under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana are providing quality and affordable medicines for every citizen. In the last 8 years, the number of Janaushadhi Kendras has increased by 100 times.
"In the year 2014, there were around 80 Janaushdhi Kendra in different parts of the country and in the year 2022 Janaushadhi Kendras jumped up to more than 8,800 which is a 100 times increase," Mansukh Mandaviya had said.
An official of the Chemical & Fertilizer Ministry had told on condition of anonymity that the daily sale of Janaushdhi Kendra is Rs 4 crores and average beneficiaries daily is more than 4.5 lakh people and the monthly sale of Janaushdhi Kendra is more than Rs 100cr and the yearly sale was Rs 893 crores in 2021-22 and target for 2022-23 is Rs 1,200 crores.
"Since the year 2019 total savings are estimated at Rs 15,360 crore and the number of medicines available at shops are 1616 and 240 surgical and other items. The target for medicines this year (2022-23) will increase upto 1800," the official said.
With an objective of making quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India in November 2008.
Under the scheme, dedicated outlets known as Janaushadhi Kendras are opened to provide generic medicines at affordable prices. As of today, more than 8,800 Janaushadhi Kendras are functional across the country. The product basket of PMBJP comprises more than 1,616 drugs and 240 surgical items.
BPPI (Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India) has been established under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. of India, with the support of all the CPSUs for co-ordinating procurement, supply and marketing of generic drugs through Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana Kendra.
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