Lok Sabha Question No. 5691 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-27
Subject: Review of Amrit Outlets
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5691

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2026

## REVIEWOFAMRITOUTLETS

## 5691. SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER:

## Will the MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any review, audit or inspection has been conducted since 1 April 2023 into the functioning of Amrit retail outlets operating in public hospitals to verify that whether they sell genuine branded medicines at declared discounted prices;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the findings of such reviews;
- (c) the number of complaints received alleging artificial price inflation or false discount claims, State/UT-wise along with the action taken by the Government therein including penalties, prosecutions or closure orders;
- (d) whether the Government has proposed any steps to ensure price transparency, random quality and price checks and a public grievance mechanism; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the timeline likely to be taken for the publications of full audit reports?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV )

(a) to (e): Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) initiative is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare aimed at reducing the financial burden on patients suffering from cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other critical ailments. AMRIT pharmacies operate under a Company Owned, Company Operated (COCO) model, managed by HLL Lifecare Limited, a Government of India Enterprise.

The monitoring, review, and inspection of AMRIT outlets are conducted in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between HLL Lifecare Limited and the respective State Governments or host Institutions. These reviews focuses on supply chain integrity, adherence to discounted pricing structures, stock availability and sale of genuine branded medicines at discounted prices. The financial and operational performances of AMRIT pharmacies are subject to statutory audits on annual basis.

Further, following mechanisms are currently in place in order to ensure transparency and quality assurance:

· Pricing and discount structures are governed by the terms of the MoU. AMRIT pharmacies utilize an integrated IT system to ensure that discounts are automatically applied at the point of sale, minimizing manual intervention.

· Medicines are sourced directly from reputed manufacturers or authorized distributors, ensuring the authenticity of branded drugs.

· Arobust public grievance mechanism is active, allowing patients or their attendants to report discrepancies directly to the hospital authorities or specialized feedback email (amrit\_ncc@lifecarehll.com) or through HLL Lifecare Limited website (https://www.lifecarehll.com/complaint) or Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal. The complaints received regarding service delivery or pricing have been examined and resolved in a time bound manner.

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