Lok Sabha Question No. 4726 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Overcharging of Medicines
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Deepender Singh Hooda

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4726 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  MARCH 2026

## Overcharging of Medicines

## 4726. Shri Deepender Singh Hooda:

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

- (a)  the  total  number  of  cases  of  overcharging  for  medicines  transferred  to  the  National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) during the last ten years, State/UT-wise and yearwise including the current year;
- (b) the number of such cases in which action has been completed with penalties imposed, along with the details of penalties recovered;
- (c) the number of cases currently pending with NPPA for adjudication;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to strengthen monitoring and enforcement of drug price control to protect consumers across the country, including Haryana; and
- (e) whether the Government has prepared any time-bound strategy to reduce cases of medicine overcharging and ensure effective compliance with the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

## FERTILIZERS

(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

- (a) to (c): The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) enquires into instance of overcharging brought to its notice and if a prima facie case of overcharging is established, NPPA initiates  necessary  action  by  issuing  Demand  Notices  (DNs)  to  such  companies  to recover the overcharged amount along with applicable interest.  NPPA does not maintain statewise record of overcharging by pharmaceutical companies.  The year-wise details of number of cases where DNs were issued, DN amount were recovered and pending cases over the period FY2015-16 to FY2025-26 (till 30.09.2025) is given in the table below:

| Details of overcharging cases for medicines   | Details of overcharging cases for medicines   | Details of overcharging cases for medicines       | Details of overcharging cases for medicines       | Details of overcharging cases for medicines   |
|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| F.Y.                                          | Total no. of DN issued                        | No. of cases wherein DN amount has been recovered | No. of cases wherein DN amount has been recovered | No. of cases currently pending                |
| of cases                                      | No.                                           | No. of cases                                      | Recovered Amount (Rs. in Lakh)                    | No. of Cases                                  |
| 2015-16 245                                   | 138                                           |                                                   | 953.26                                            | 107                                           |
| 2016-17 118                                   |                                               | 58                                                | 6129.14                                           | 60                                            |
| 2017-18 182                                   |                                               | 56                                                | 4274.48                                           | 126                                           |
| 2018-19 134                                   |                                               | 70                                                | 786.57                                            | 64                                            |
| 2019-20                                       | 54                                            | 32                                                | 377.16                                            | 22                                            |

| 2020-21                   |   21 |   3 |     9.79 |   18 |
|---------------------------|------|-----|----------|------|
| 2021-22                   |    6 |   4 |   341.35 |    2 |
| 2022-23                   |   99 |  21 |   452.95 |   78 |
| 2023-24                   |   43 |   8 |    29.44 |   35 |
| 2024-25                   |   59 |  27 |   172.96 |   32 |
| 2025-26 (upto 30.09.2025) |   60 |  13 |   333.83 |   47 |
| Total                     | 1021 | 430 | 13860.9  |  591 |

(d):          In  order  to  strengthen  the  price  monitoring,  Government  has  established  Price Monitoring  &  Resource  Units  (PMRUs)  in  States  and  UTs,  including  Haryana,  under  the Central Sector Scheme 'Consumer Awareness, Publicity and Price Monitoring - (CAPPM)'. These PMRUs collect data on prices and also conduct IEC activities to create awareness among public on pricing related aspects of drugs. NPPA and consumer/general public are engaged through online platforms like 'Pharma Jan Samadhan', which provides the consumer wi th an effective and time bound grievance redressal system to deal with complaints related to pricing, shortage and non-availability of medicines. Further, consumer may also connect with NPPA through  mobile  app  'Pharma  Sahi  Daam',  and  'Centralized  Public  Gr ievance  Redress  and Monitoring  System  (CPGRAMS)'.  Pharma  Sahi  Daam  app  lists  the ceiling  price  of  928 formulations and MRP of approximate 98600 medicines. General public can check the current prices of various drugs through the app. In addition, NPPA has a helpline 1800111255 and email:  monitoring-nppa@gov.in,  on  which  complaints  on  overcharging  of  drugs  can  be registered.  Further,  all  price  notifications  are  uploaded  on  the  website  of  NPPA,  i.e., www.nppa.gov.in .

(e):        Monitoring  of  prices  of  drugs  and  action  for  recovery  of  overcharged  amount  is  an ongoing activity and therefore, no time limits can be set for the same.

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