Lok Sabha Question No. 412 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Anurag Sharma, Shri Dharambir Singh

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

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 412 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th  MARCH, 2025

Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana

## †*412. Shri Dharambir Singh:

## Shri Anurag Sharma:

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

- (a) the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) opened across the country as of February 2025 indicating the targets set and achieved in this regard during 2024-25 along with the new JAKs proposed to be opened during the next one year, State/UT wise;
- (b) the percentage of discounts offered on medicines, surgical equipment and other healthcare products  at  Jan Aushadhi  Kendras  compared  to  their  branded  counterparts,  along  with  the measures taken to further increase affordability and accessibility of generic medicines through these centres;
- (c) the total sales recorded at Jan Aushadhi Kendras during the financial year 2024-25 up to February 2025, along with a comparison of sales figures from previous years and whether the Government has set any specific targets or strategies to enhance their outreach and effectiveness in providing affordable medicines to the public;
- (d) whether there are any districts or regions where the establishment of Jan Aushadhi Kendras is lagging behind, if so, the steps that are being taken to address this, State-wise;
- (e)  the  total  product  basket  of  Jan Aushadhi  Kendras  along  with  the  plans,  if  any,  for  its expansion; and
- (f)  the  extent  to  which  Jan Aushadi  Kendras  have  contributed  to  the  improvement  of  rural health?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement  referred  to  in  the  reply  to  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Q.  No.  412  for  answer  on 28.3.2025, raised by Shri Dharambir Singh and Shri Anurag Sharma, regarding Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana

The Government set a target to open 15,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) across the country by 31.3.2025. The target was achieved in January 2025. As on 28.2.2025, under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana scheme, a total of 15,057 JAKs have been opened across the country. The Government has set a target to increase the number JAKs opened across the country to 20,000 JAKs by March 2026 and to 25,000 JAKs by March 2027. No State- and Union-territory-wise targets have been set for the same.

The scheme's product basket consists of 2,047 types of medicines and 300 surgicals, medical devices and consumables. The maximum retail prices (MRP) of medicines in the scheme's product basket are about 50% to 80% cheaper than those of leading branded medicines in the market. The scheme has the target to increase its product basket to 2,100 medicines and 310 surgicals, medical consumables and devices by 31.3.2025. All Jan Aushadhi products are sold at fixed MRP across the country, through JAKs. No discounts are offered on MRP.

For smooth supply and product availability at JAKs, an end-to-end IT-enabled supply chain system has been established. It comprises one central warehouse at Gurugram and four regional warehouses at Bengaluru, Guwahati, Chennai and Surat. Further, 36 distributors have been appointed across the country to strengthen the supply chain system. Availability of 400 fastmoving products is monitored regularly to ensure their availability.  In addition, a minimum stocking mandate has been implemented for 200 medicines consisting of the 100 top-selling medicines in the scheme product basket and 100 fast-selling medicines in the market. Under the stocking mandate, JAK owners become eligible for claiming incentive based on stocks of the said 200 medicines maintained by them. Thus, supply of medicines to JAKs is ensured through the system of warehouses and distributors and monitoring system and incentives are in place to encourage JAKs to stock the products that are more in demand. JAKs being run on an entrepreneurship  model,  the  actual  stocking  of  products  is  done  by  entrepreneurs  based  on demand.

Sales of medicines with MRP worth ₹1,767.18 crore have been made in the financial year 202425 till 28.2.2025, representing an increase of 33% over the sales of medicines worth ₹1,327 crore made in the corresponding period of the financial year 2023-24.

To spread awareness about the scheme, the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India, the scheme implementing agency, regularly undertakes several activities, including the following:

- (i) Issuance of advertisements in various modes, such as the print media, radio, TV, mobile application, cinema, hoardings, branding of bus queue shelters and buses, auto wrapping and TV screens at Common Service Centres;
- (ii) Outreach  through  social  media  platforms,  such  as  Facebook,  X,  Instagram  and YouTube; and
- (iii) Celebration of Jan Aushadhi Diwas on the 7 th of March every year.

The Government has adopted a franchise-like model for opening of JAKs by inviting online applications from individual entrepreneurs, NGOs, societies, trusts, firms, private companies, etc. While opening JAKs, a minimum distance of 1 km is ordinarily maintained between two JAKs.  Online  applications  are  invited  through  the  website  www.janaushadhi.gov.in.  This process facilitates opening of JAKs at the block and district levels, for wider outreach. There is no State- and Union-territory-wise target for opening JAKs.

JAKs have contributed to the improvement of rural health in the following ways:

- (i) A total of 15,057 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 gastrointestinal medicines and nutraceuticals.
- (iii) Medicines are provided at rates that are about 50% to 80% cheaper than those of leading branded medicines.
- (iv) On an average, 10 to 12 lakh persons visit JAKs daily and avail of quality medicines at affordable prices.
- (v) 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.
- (vi) 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 branded medicines.
- (vii) 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.

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