Lok Sabha Question No. 4888 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-31
Subject: Monitoring of Sale of Generic Medicines through PMJAK
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Bhola Singh, Sukanta Majumdar, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Jayanta Kumar Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4888 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 31 st  MARCH, 2023

## Monitoring of Sale of Generic Medicines through PMJAK

4888.   SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA):

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has received complaints of malpractices (including the sale of other generic medicines at higher prices) by the PMJAKs in Delhi;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government including  cancellation  of  licenses  for  such  Kendras  during  the  last  two  years,  State-wise including Delhi;
- (c) whether the Government has any mechanism to supervise and monitor the functioning/sale of Generic Medicines through the PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMJAKs) in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether the Government is proposing to conduct performance analysis of these PMJAKs by the  data  of  their  sale-purchase  transactions  of  prescribed  Generic  medicines  and  other medicines;
- (f) if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the other remedial steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government for strict compliance of  rules  and  regulations  of  PMJAKs  in  order  to  ensure  the  availability  of  medicines  at affordable and justified price to the public?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA)

(a)  &  (b):  Pharmaceuticals  &  Medical  Devices  Bureau  of  India  (PMBI),  the  implementing agency  of  the  scheme  takes  strict  action  against Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs)  in  case  of  complaints  of  malpractices,  including  sale  of  other  generic medicines at higher prices. PMBI has informed that it has issued Show Cause Notices (SCN) to 56 PMBJKs for various lapses during the last two financial years till 28.02.2023. State/UTwise data of SCNs issued is as under:

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State/UT   |   No. of Show Cause Notice issued |
|-----------|------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| 1.        | Andhra Pradesh         |                                 4 |
| 2.        | Chhattisgarh           |                                 4 |
| 3.        | Delhi                  |                                41 |
| 4.        | Madhya Pradesh         |                                 3 |
| 5.        | Maharashtra            |                                 3 |
| 6.        | Uttar Pradesh          |                                 1 |
| Total     | Total                  |                                56 |

After  investigation  of  the  complaints,  warnings  to  defaulting  PMBJKs,  wherever required, have been issued by PMBI.

- (c) & (d): PMBI has implemented 'Point of Sale' software application at all PMBJKs. This system allows to sell only generic medicines, supplied by the PMBI.  Moreover, PMBJKs are periodically inspected by the marketing officers of PMBI to eliminate the possibilities of any misconduct. In case of complaint of sale of any branded medicines through PMBJK, marketing officers investigates the matter and takes strict action against it by issuing show cause notice and warning.
- (e) & (f): A study for 'Improving Effectiveness of Jan Aushadhi Stores' was commissioned in January, 2019. Taking in consideration the recommendations made in the Study Report, the Scheme was revised and approved by the Standing Finance Committee (SFC).
- (g): In order to ensure sufficient availability of medicines at all Kendras, the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the implementing agency of the scheme has set up a strong network of four warehouses and 36 distributors all over the country. All warehouses have SAP based inventory management system and the demand forecasting is done through the said system so as to place orders as per the desired inventory levels. Further, an Information Technology  (IT) enabled End-to-End  supply chain system with Point-of-Sale  (POS) application for value added services has been implemented to ensure availability of medicines.

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