Lok Sabha Question No. 182 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-02
Subject: PMBJP Kendras
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Sukanta Majumdar, Nisith Pramanik, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Margani Bharat, Kripanath Mallah, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Janardan Singh Sigriwal, Bhola Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS

## DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 182 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02 nd  February, 2021

## PMBJP Kendras

## 182. SHRI DEVUSINH JESINGHBHAI CHAUHAN:

SHRI KRIPANATH MALLAH:

SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI NISITH PRAMANIK:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

SHRI MARGANI BHARAT:

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

- (a)  the  salient  features  of  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Jan  Aushadhi  Pariyojana  (PMBJP) Kendras;the functioning of the PMBJP and create awareness regarding the scheme in the country? (b) the present status of Jan Aushadhi Kendras set up to provide medicines at affordable price in the country, State-wise, specially in Bihar, Assam and Gujarat;
- (c) whether the Government has any action plan for increasing the number of such kendras in rural areas and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (d) the details of funds sanctioned, allocated and utilized under PMBJP so far, across the country, State/ UT-wise;
- (e) the details of the impact of PMBJP along with the target set and achieved across the country specially during coronavirus pandemic, State/UT-wise;
- (f) whether the Government is planning to include some more medicines under the scheme, and (g) if so, the details thereof along with other steps being taken by the Government to improve the functioning of the PMBJP and create awareness regarding the scheme in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS

(SHRI D. V. SADANANDA GOWDA)

(a) With an objective of making quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all the citizens,  especially  to  the  poor  and  the  deprived  ones,  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi Pariyojana  (PMBJP) was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals. Under the scheme, dedicated outlets known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) are opened all over the country to provide generic medicines to the masses.

A medicine under the Scheme is priced on the principle of a maximum of 50% of the average price of top three branded medicines. Therefore, the price of Jan Aushadhi Medicines is cheaper at least by 50% and in some cases, by 80% to 90% of the market price of the branded medicines. The medicines listed in the product list of PMBJP are procured only from World Health Organization - Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) certified suppliers for ensuring the quality of the products. Apart from this, each batch of drug is tested at laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation  Board  for  Testing  and  Calibration  Laboratories (NABL).  Only  after  passing  the quality tests, the medicines are dispatched to PMBJP Kendras. In order to ensure easy availability of the menstrual health services to all women across India, 'Janaushadhi Suvidha' sanitary pads are made available at PMBJP Kendras for sale @ Rs 1.00 per pad across the country.

Under the Scheme, the Government is providing financial assistance to the operating agencies/ private entrepreneurs in the following manner:

- i. Rs. 5.00 lakh is given to the PMBJK owner @ 15% of monthly purchases made, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 15,000/- per month.
- ii. One-time incentives of Rs. 2.00 lakh for furniture & fixtures is provided to the PMBJP Kendras  opened  in  North-Eastern  States,  Himalayan  areas,  Island  territories  and backward areas mentioned as aspirational district by NITI Aayog or opened by women entrepreneur, Divyang, SC & ST.

(b)  As  on  22.01.2021,  7161  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi  Kendras  (PMBJKs)  are functional  across  the  country  including  Assam,  Bihar  and  Gujarat.  The  State/UT-wise  list  of PMBJKs is enclosed as Annexure.

(c)  Department of Pharmaceuticals has requested State/UT Governments to facilitate opening of Janaushadhi Kendras in the premises of Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs)/Community Health Centers (CHCs)/Hospitals, including super specialty hospitals, by providing rent-free space within their premises. The inclusion of provision of one-time additional incentive of Rs. 2.00 lakh for Kendras opened in North-Eastern States, Himalayan areas, Island territories and backward areas is  also  a  step  for  enhancing the penetration of Kendras.  The Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), the implementing agency of the Scheme, also organizes various workshops and seminars on  regular  basis  to  encourage  private  entrepreneurs/NGOs/Civil  Societies  and  unemployed pharmacists for opening PMBJP Kendras.

(d)  The  details  of  the  funds  sanctioned,  allocated  and  utilized  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana since its launch is as under:

## (Rs. in Crore)

|   Sl. No. | Financial Year   |   Funds Allocated |   Funds Utilized |
|-----------|------------------|-------------------|------------------|
|         1 | 2008-09          |              1.73 |             0.62 |
|         2 | 2009-10          |              2    |             1.08 |
|         3 | 2010-11          |              3    |             1.2  |
|         4 | 2011-12          |              0    |             1.08 |
|         5 | 2012-13          |              1.66 |             2.28 |
|         6 | 2013-14          |             15.2  |             1.51 |
|         7 | 2014-15          |              0    |            13.63 |
|         8 | 2015-16          |             16.91 |            26.28 |
|         9 | 2016-17          |             49.75 |            49.75 |
|        10 | 2017-18          |             47.64 |            47.64 |
|        11 | 2018-19          |             42.51 |            42.5  |
|        12 | 2019-20          |             35.51 |            35.51 |

(e) In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) Kendras have rendered essential services to the nation. The stores remained functional  during  lockdown  and  maintained  operations  as  part  of  their  commitment  to  ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines. Adequate stock of the medicines and surgicals which was under demand, viz., Face Mask, Hydroxychloroquine, Paracetamol and Azithromycin was maintained. Around 25 lakh Face Masks, 1.25 lakh units of sanitizers, 137 lakh tablets of Hydroxychloroquine and 323 lakh Paracetamol Tablets was sold from the month of March, 2020 to  22 nd January,  2021  through  more  than  7100  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi  Kendras (PMBJKs) functioning across the country, at affordable prices. In financial year 2020-21, sale of Rs. 506.16 Cr. is made till 22 nd January, 2021, which has led to savings of about Rs. 3,000 Crores (approx.) to the citizens as compared to the branded medicines.

(f)  &  (g).  At  present,  product  basket  of  PMBJP  comprises  of  1449  drugs  and  204  surgical instruments.  Regular  efforts  are  made  for  augmenting  the  product  basket  of  PMBJP  so  that essential medicines and surgicals are readily available. It has been decided to increase the product basket to 2000 medicines and 300 surgicals by March, 2024 under various therapeutic segments. In  order  to  improve  the  functioning  of  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi  Pariyojana (PMBJP), Information Technology (IT) enabled End-to-End supply chain system with Point-ofSale (POS) application for value added services has been implemented in PMBJP. Further, the logistics system is being strengthened. At present three warehouses are functional at Gurugram, Chennai and Guwahati and fourth one is under construction at Surat. Further, 37 distributors have been appointed across the country to support the supply of medicines to remote and rural areas. A mobile application 'Janaushadhi Sugam' has also been launched for facilitating the general public by providing a digital platform at the tip of their fingers, by the virtue of which they can avail a host of user-friendly options like - locate nearby PMBJK (direction guided through Google Maps),  search  Janaushadhi  medicines,  analyse  product  comparison  of  Generic  Vs  Branded medicines in the form of MRP & overall savings, etc.

The awareness on Jan Aushadhi generic medicines is spread through advertisements on TV, FM Radio and Cinema, extensive use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter etc., display through Auto wrappings, Bus Brandings, State Transport Bus Stands, Audio and Digital Screen Advertisements at Railway Stations and by organizing workshops in various parts of the country.

The statement referred to in  part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Q. No. 182  for 02.02.2021 raised by SHRI DEVUSINH JESINGHBHAI CHAUHAN, SHRI KRIPANATH MALLAH, SHRI  JANARDAN  SINGH  SIGRIWAL,  SHRI  VINOD  KUMAR  SONKAR,  DR. JAYANTA  KUMAR  ROY,  SHRI  RAJA  AMARESHWARA  NAIK,  DR.  SUKANTA MAJUMDA, SHRI BHOLA SINGH, SHRI NISITH PRAMANIK, SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO and SHRI MARGANI BHARATregarding PMBJP Kendras

| State / Union Territory-wise list of Janaushadhi Kendras functional across the country as on 22.01.2021   | State / Union Territory-wise list of Janaushadhi Kendras functional across the country as on 22.01.2021   | State / Union Territory-wise list of Janaushadhi Kendras functional across the country as on 22.01.2021   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                                                                   | Name of the State/Union Territory                                                                         | Number of Janaushadhi Kendras functional in the State/Union Territory                                     |
| 1                                                                                                         | Andaman &Nicobar                                                                                          | 2                                                                                                         |
| 2                                                                                                         | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                            | 177                                                                                                       |
| 3                                                                                                         | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                         | 28                                                                                                        |
| 4                                                                                                         | Assam                                                                                                     | 76                                                                                                        |
| 5                                                                                                         | Bihar                                                                                                     | 215                                                                                                       |
| 6                                                                                                         | Chandigarh                                                                                                | 7                                                                                                         |
| 7                                                                                                         | Chhattisgarh                                                                                              | 226                                                                                                       |
| 8                                                                                                         | Delhi                                                                                                     | 271                                                                                                       |
| 9                                                                                                         | Goa                                                                                                       | 9                                                                                                         |
| 10                                                                                                        | Gujarat                                                                                                   | 479                                                                                                       |
| 11                                                                                                        | Haryana                                                                                                   | 187                                                                                                       |
| 12                                                                                                        | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                          | 57                                                                                                        |
| 13                                                                                                        | Jammu And Kashmir                                                                                         | 89                                                                                                        |
| 14                                                                                                        | Jharkhand                                                                                                 | 69                                                                                                        |
| 15                                                                                                        | Karnataka                                                                                                 | 815                                                                                                       |
| 16                                                                                                        | Kerala                                                                                                    | 688                                                                                                       |
| 17                                                                                                        | Ladakh                                                                                                    | 3                                                                                                         |
| 18                                                                                                        | Lakshadweep*                                                                                              | 0                                                                                                         |
| 19                                                                                                        | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                            | 211                                                                                                       |
| 20                                                                                                        | Maharashtra                                                                                               | 552                                                                                                       |
| 21                                                                                                        | Manipur                                                                                                   | 32                                                                                                        |
| 22                                                                                                        | Meghalaya                                                                                                 | 13                                                                                                        |
| 23                                                                                                        | Mizoram                                                                                                   | 22                                                                                                        |
| 24                                                                                                        | Nagaland                                                                                                  | 15                                                                                                        |
| 25                                                                                                        | Odisha                                                                                                    | 240                                                                                                       |
| 26                                                                                                        | Puducherry                                                                                                | 16                                                                                                        |
| 27                                                                                                        | Punjab                                                                                                    | 263                                                                                                       |
| 28                                                                                                        | Rajasthan                                                                                                 | 107                                                                                                       |
| 29                                                                                                        | Sikkim                                                                                                    | 3                                                                                                         |
| 30                                                                                                        | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                | 733                                                                                                       |
| 31                                                                                                        | Telangana                                                                                                 | 140                                                                                                       |
| 32                                                                                                        | The Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman And Diu                                                              | 30                                                                                                        |
| 33                                                                                                        | Tripura                                                                                                   | 24                                                                                                        |
| 34                                                                                                        | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                             | 1021                                                                                                      |
| 35                                                                                                        | Uttarakhand                                                                                               | 199                                                                                                       |
| 36                                                                                                        | West Bengal                                                                                               | 148                                                                                                       |
| Grand Total                                                                                               |                                                                                                           | 7167                                                                                                      |