Lok Sabha Question No. 3928 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-24
Subject: Availability of Essential Medicines at JAKs
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Sanjay Seth, Navneet Ravi Rana, Sarmistha Sethi, Rajiv Pratap Rudy

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3928 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24 TH  MARCH, 2023

## Availability of Essential Medicines at JAKs

†3928. SHRI SANJAY SETH: SHRIMATI NAVNEET RAVI RANA: SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI: SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

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

- (a) the number of Government hospitals in India which do not have Jan Aushadhi stores at present, State/UT/district-wise;
- (b) whether it is a fact that out of the list of 361 most essential medicines, the PMBJP scheme only covers 130 and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that the Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAK) in India are facing shortage in the supply of essential medicines and are unevenly distributed across geographies and if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken/proposed to be taken to address the issues;
- (d) whether the Government is aware that there is poor awareness among the neediest people about JAKs and also, there is reluctance of doctors to prescribe generic medicines to patients, which is hindering the success of Jan Aushadhi stores;
- (e)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  corrective  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the Government in this regard; and
- (f) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to make available costly medicines of various diseases at cheaper rates?

## ANSWER

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

- (a):   Out of 9,182 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) opened across the country, about 1,152 PMBJKs have been opened in the Government premises across the country.  State/UT-wise  list  of  PMBJKs,  opened  in  Government  Hospitals  /  Government Premises is enclosed as Annexure .  The details of Government hospitals in the country not having Jan Aushadhi stores are, however, not maintained.
- (b) and (c): The product basket of PMBI presently consists of 1,759 drugs, which include all essential medicines and the same are generally available at the Kendras. The availability of medicines is ensured by Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the Implementing Agency of the Scheme through implementation of an Information Technology (IT) enabled End-to-End supply chain system and SAP based inventory management system and a strong network of four warehouses and 36 distributors spread all across the country.

(d)  &  (e):  In  order  to  promote  the  scheme,  the  Department  of  Pharmaceuticals  and  PMBI periodically  requests  State  /UT  Governments/  district  administrations  to  create  awareness about the scheme and provide rent free space for opening Janaushadhi Kendras in Community Health  Centre  (CHC)/  Primary  Health  Centre  (PHC)/  Government  Hospitals.  PMBI  also spreads  awareness  about  the  scheme  through  advertisements  in  Print  Media,  Radio,  TV  & Cinema  as  well  as  Outdoor  publicity  like  Hoardings,  Bus  Queue  Shelter  branding,  Bus branding,  Auto  wrapping,  etc.  In  addition,  public  is  educated  about  the  benefits  of Jan Aushadhi generic medicines and the scheme through social media platforms regularly.  Further, Jan  Aushadhi  Diwas is  celebrated  every  year  on  7 th March  for  further  dissemination  and spreading awareness about the scheme. In addition, the Department of Pharmaceuticals makes regular  efforts  for  encouraging  prescription  of  generic  drugs  by  requesting  the  Ministry  of Health  & Family Welfare to direct the Government doctors to prescribe generic medicines only.

(f):    In order to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices to all citizens, especially the poor and the deprived ones, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is  being  implemented  by  the  government.  Further  the  National  Pharmaceuticals  Pricing Authority fixes ceiling prices of scheduled drugs sold in the market and has also applied cap on trade margins in respect of certain anti cancer drugs in 2019.

Statement referred to in part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Q. No. 3928 for answer on 24.03.2023  raised  by  SHRI  SANJAY  SETH, SHRIMATI  NAVNEET  RAVI  RANA, SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI, SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY regarding Availability of Essential Medicines at JAKs

| State/UT-wise list of PMBJK's opened across the country till 28.02.2023   | State/UT-wise list of PMBJK's opened across the country till 28.02.2023   | State/UT-wise list of PMBJK's opened across the country till 28.02.2023   | State/UT-wise list of PMBJK's opened across the country till 28.02.2023   | State/UT-wise list of PMBJK's opened across the country till 28.02.2023   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                                   | Name of the State/UT                                                      | No. of PMBJK functional                                                   | Govt                                                                      | Private                                                                   |
| 1.                                                                        | Andaman &Nicobar                                                          | 9                                                                         | 9                                                                         | 0                                                                         |
| 2.                                                                        | Andhra Pradesh                                                            | 146                                                                       | 21                                                                        | 125                                                                       |
| 3.                                                                        | Arunachal Pradesh                                                         | 29                                                                        | 23                                                                        | 6                                                                         |
| 4.                                                                        | Assam                                                                     | 110                                                                       | 5                                                                         | 105                                                                       |
| 5.                                                                        | Bihar                                                                     | 359                                                                       | 74                                                                        | 285                                                                       |
| 6.                                                                        | Chandigarh                                                                | 9                                                                         | 6                                                                         | 3                                                                         |
| 7.                                                                        | Chhattisgarh                                                              | 200                                                                       | 147                                                                       | 53                                                                        |
| 8.                                                                        | Delhi                                                                     | 387                                                                       | 7                                                                         | 380                                                                       |
| 9.                                                                        | Goa                                                                       | 11                                                                        | 6                                                                         | 5                                                                         |
| 10.                                                                       | Gujarat                                                                   | 521                                                                       | 2                                                                         | 519                                                                       |
| 11.                                                                       | Haryana                                                                   | 232                                                                       | 8                                                                         | 224                                                                       |
| 12.                                                                       | Himachal Pradesh                                                          | 60                                                                        | 15                                                                        | 45                                                                        |
| 13.                                                                       | Jammu and Kashmir                                                         | 220                                                                       | 159                                                                       | 61                                                                        |
| 14.                                                                       | Jharkhand                                                                 | 84                                                                        | 19                                                                        | 65                                                                        |
| 15.                                                                       | Karnataka                                                                 | 1050                                                                      | 198                                                                       | 852                                                                       |
| 16.                                                                       | Kerala                                                                    | 977                                                                       | 5                                                                         | 972                                                                       |
| 17.                                                                       | Ladakh                                                                    | 2                                                                         | 2                                                                         | 0                                                                         |
| 18.                                                                       | Lakshadeep *                                                              | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         |
| 19.                                                                       | Madhya Pradesh                                                            | 272                                                                       | 6                                                                         | 266                                                                       |
| 20.                                                                       | Maharashtra                                                               | 640                                                                       | 17                                                                        | 623                                                                       |
| 21.                                                                       | Manipur                                                                   | 35                                                                        | 25                                                                        | 10                                                                        |
| 22.                                                                       | Meghalaya                                                                 | 16                                                                        | 7                                                                         | 9                                                                         |
| 23.                                                                       | Mizoram                                                                   | 12                                                                        | 3                                                                         | 9                                                                         |
| 24.                                                                       | Nagaland                                                                  | 20                                                                        | 18                                                                        | 2                                                                         |
| 25.                                                                       | Odisha                                                                    | 398                                                                       | 14                                                                        | 384                                                                       |
| 26.                                                                       | Puducherry                                                                | 20                                                                        | 0                                                                         | 20                                                                        |
| 27.                                                                       | Punjab                                                                    | 314                                                                       | 32                                                                        | 282                                                                       |
| 28.                                                                       | Rajasthan                                                                 | 149                                                                       | 43                                                                        | 106                                                                       |
| 29.                                                                       | Sikkim                                                                    | 4                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 4                                                                         |
| 30.                                                                       | Tamil Nadu                                                                | 872                                                                       | 2                                                                         | 870                                                                       |
| 31.                                                                       | Telangana                                                                 | 179                                                                       | 3                                                                         | 176                                                                       |
| 32.                                                                       | DNH&D&D                                                                   | 35                                                                        | 0                                                                         | 35                                                                        |
| 33.                                                                       | Tripura                                                                   | 25                                                                        | 23                                                                        | 2                                                                         |
| 34.                                                                       | Uttar Pradesh                                                             | 1325                                                                      | 177                                                                       | 1148                                                                      |
| 35.                                                                       | Uttarakhand                                                               | 223                                                                       | 75                                                                        | 148                                                                       |
| 36.                                                                       | West Bengal                                                               | 237                                                                       | 1                                                                         | 236                                                                       |
| Grand                                                                     | Total                                                                     | 9,182                                                                     | 1,152                                                                     | 8,030                                                                     |

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