Lok Sabha Question No. 4695 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Demand for PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Kalipada Saren Kherwal

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4695 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th  MARCH, 2025

## Demand for PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras

## 4695. Shri Kalipada Saren Kherwal:

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

- (a) whether the demand for setting up of PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras is increasing across the country, including West Bengal;
- (b) if so, the total number of PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras set up in West Bengal, districtwise particularly in Jhargram district;
- (c) the total number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras targeted to be set up in the country including West Bengal by 2029; and
- (d) the details of the benefits being provided to the common people of the country through these Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  CHEMICALS  AND FERTILIZERS

(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a)  and  (b):  The  Government  launched  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi Pariyojana scheme to make quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all. Under the scheme, dedicated outlets known as Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) are opened across the country to provide quality generic medicines at maximum retail prices that are about 50% to 80% cheaper than those of leading branded medicines in the market. 2,047 medicines and 300 surgicals, medical consumables and devices are under the scheme product  basket,  covering  all  major  therapeutic  groups,  such  as  cardiovascular,  anticancers,  anti-diabetic,  anti-infectives,  anti-allergic  and  gastro-intestinal  medicines  and nutraceuticals. A total of 15,057 JAKs have been opened across the country till 28.2.2025, of which 630 JAKs have been opened in the State of West Bengal, including two JAKs in Jhargram district of the State. District-wise number of JAKs opened in the State of West Bengal, till the said date, are at Annexure.

- (c): The Government has set a target to open 25,000 JAKs across the country by March 2027. There is no State-wise target for opening new JAKs.

(d): Details of the benefits being provided to the common people of the country through JAKs are as under:

- (i) A  total  of  15,057  Jan  Aushadhi  Kendras  (JAKs)  have  been  opened  till 28.2.2025 across the country.
- (ii) 2,047 medicines and 300 surgicals, medical consumables and devices are under the  scheme  product  basket,  covering  all  major  therapeutic  groups,  such  as cardiovascular,  anti-cancers,  anti-diabetic,  anti-infectives,  anti-allergic  and gastro-intestinal medicines and nutraceuticals.
- (iii) On an average, 10 to 12 lakh persons visit Jan Aushadhi Kendras daily and avail of quality medicines at affordable prices.
- (iv) To ensure easy availability of menstrual health services at affordable prices for women, Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Sanitary Napkins at the rate of ₹1 per pad are being made available. Till 28.2.2025, over 74.50 crore such pads have been sold.
- (v) In the last 10 years, medicines worth ₹6,975 crore in MRP terms have been sold through JAKs, resulting in estimated savings of about ₹30,000 crore to citizens in comparison to the prices of leading branded medicines in the market.
- (vi) The  Department  of  Pharmaceuticals,  in  coordination  with  the  Ministry  of Cooperation, is facilitating the opening of JAKs in Primary Agricultural Credit Societies  (PACS)  and  other  cooperative  societies  to  enable  the  benefits  of quality Jan Aushadhi medicines reach rural and remote areas of the country. As of 28.2.2025, the number of JAKs opened by PACs and other cooperative societies stood at 724.
- (vii) The  scheme  has  provided  self-employment  with  sustainable  and  regular earnings to the entrepreneurs running the outlets.

Annexure

Annexure  referred  to  in  the  reply  to  parts  (a)  and  (b)  of  the  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED Q. No. 4695 for answer on 28.3.2025, raised by Shri Kalipada Saren Kherwal, regarding Demand for PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras

## JAKs opened in the State of West Bengal (till 28.2.2025)

| S. No.   | District          |   JAKs opened |
|----------|-------------------|---------------|
| 1.       | North 24 Parganas |           129 |
| 2.       | South 24 Parganas |            34 |
| 3.       | Bankura           |            20 |
| 4.       | Purba Bardhaman   |            32 |
| 5.       | Birbhum           |             5 |
| 6.       | Cooch Behar       |            14 |
| 7.       | Darjeeling        |            10 |
| 8.       | Dakshin Dinajpur  |             1 |
| 9.       | Uttar Dinajpur    |             5 |
| 10.      | Hooghly           |            69 |
| 11.      | Howrah            |            68 |
| 12.      | Jalpaiguri        |            13 |
| 13.      | Kolkata           |            92 |
| 14.      | Malda             |             9 |
| 15.      | Purba Medinipur   |            31 |
| 16.      | Paschim Medinipur |            21 |
| 17.      | Murshidabad       |            10 |
| 18.      | Nadia             |            18 |
| 19.      | Purulia           |             6 |
| 20.      | Alipurduar        |             6 |
| 21.      | Kalimpong         |             1 |
| 22.      | Jhargram          |             2 |
| 23.      | Paschim Bardhaman |            34 |
| Total    | Total             |           630 |

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