Lok Sabha Question No. 626 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-04
Subject: Generic Medicines Outlets
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Mahabali Singh, Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 626

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 04 TH  FEBRUARY, 2022

## Generic Medicines Outlets

## †626.   SHRI MAHABALI SINGH: SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA:

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

- (a) whether the Government has proposed any plan to set up generic medicines outlets at large scale to provide generic medicines to common people at affordable prices;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the number of such outlets set up in the country so far, State/UTwise particularly, Bihar;

(c) whether there is any difference between the availability of generic drugs as compared to commonly used drugs, if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether there is any shortage of most of the generic medicines in such outlets particularly prescribed by the Government hospitals across the country, if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor, State/ UT-wise including Rajasthan?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

(a) & (b):  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 in the year 2008. Under the  Scheme,  dedicated  outlets  known  as  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi  Kendras (PMBJKs)  are  opened  to  provide  generic  medicines  at  cheaper  rates  to  the  citizens. Government has set a target to open 10,500 Kendras across the country by March 2025.

As  on  31.12.2021,  about  8,640  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi  Kendras (PMBJKs)  have  been  opened  across  the  country,  out  of  which  about  276  PMBJKs  are functioning in the State of Bihar. State/Union Territory-wise list of PMBJKs is enclosed as Annexure.

(c): Generic drugs are also commonly used drugs. The product basket presently comprises of 1,451  medicines  and  240  surgical  items  covering  all  major  therapeutic  groups  such  as Cardiovascular, Anti-cancers, Anti-diabetics, Anti-infectives, Anti-allergic, Gastro-intestinal medicines,  Nutraceuticals,  etc.  These  medicines  are  available  through  more  than  8,600 PMBJKs functioning across the country.

(d): There is no shortage of generic medicines in PMBJKs. Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the implementing agency of PMBJP is doing proper forecasting and inventory management regularly to ensure availability of medicines and surgical items on a continuous basis at PMBJKs, including at 139 PMBJKs functioning in the State of Rajasthan as on 31.12.2021.

## Annexure

Statement referred to in part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Q. No. 626 for 04.02.2022 raised by Shri Mahabali Singh and Shri Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria regarding Generic Medicines Outlets

| Sl. No.     | Name of the State/UT   |   Number of PMBJK functional |
|-------------|------------------------|------------------------------|
| 1           | Andaman &Nicobar       |                            9 |
| 2           | Andhra Pradesh         |                          183 |
| 3           | Arunachal Pradesh      |                           28 |
| 4           | Assam                  |                           88 |
| 5           | Bihar                  |                          276 |
| 6           | Chandigarh             |                            7 |
| 7           | Chhattisgarh           |                          241 |
| 8           | Delhi                  |                          381 |
| 9           | Goa                    |                           10 |
| 10          | Gujarat                |                          551 |
| 11          | Haryana                |                          234 |
| 12          | Himachal Pradesh       |                           64 |
| 13          | Jammu And Kashmir      |                          121 |
| 14          | Jharkhand              |                           76 |
| 15          | Karnataka              |                          960 |
| 16          | Kerala                 |                          976 |
| 17          | Ladakh                 |                            2 |
| 18          | Lakshadeep *           |                            0 |
| 19          | Madhya Pradesh         |                          240 |
| 20          | Maharashtra            |                          625 |
| 21          | Manipur                |                           34 |
| 22          | Meghalaya              |                           15 |
| 23          | Mizoram                |                           22 |
| 24          | Nagaland               |                           16 |
| 25          | Odisha                 |                          347 |
| 26          | Puducherry             |                           18 |
| 27          | Punjab                 |                          304 |
| 28          | Rajasthan              |                          139 |
| 29          | Sikkim                 |                            3 |
| 30          | Tamil Nadu             |                          863 |
| 31          | Telangana              |                          160 |
| 32          | DNH&D&D                |                           36 |
| 33          | Tripura                |                           24 |
| 34          | Uttar Pradesh          |                         1185 |
| 35          | Uttarakhand            |                          216 |
| 36          | West Bengal            |                          186 |
| Grand Total |                        |                         8640 |

* Medicines are directly supplied to the administration of Union Territory of Lakshadweep

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