Lok Sabha Question No. 5626 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-27
Subject: Supply of Generic Medicines
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Vishnu Datt Sharma

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5626 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH  MARCH 2026

## Supply of Generic Medicines

## 5626. Shri Vishnu Datt Sharma:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  implementing  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) nationwide to ensure affordable generic medicines for poor households;
- (b) whether Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have been established and are fully functional in the districts of Katni, Panna and town of Khajuraho in the Khajuraho Lok Sabha Constituency of Madhya Pradesh;
- (c) the number of Kendras, average monthly sales and stock-out instances reported during the last year;
- (d) the measures taken to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines, especially for chronic diseases and TB/NCD patients;
- (e)  whether  the  coverage/supply  remains  inadequate  in  the  said  districts,  if  so,  the  reasons therefor along with the corrective actions taken in this regard; and
- (f) the plan to expand PMBJP coverage, strengthen supply chains and create local employment through Kendras in the said districts?

## ANSWER

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

## (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

- (a):  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 medicines at rates that are about 50% to 80% cheaper than those of branded medicines. As of 28.02.2026, a total of 18,646 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been opened across the country under the scheme.
- (b): A total of 38 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) are functional in the Khajuraho Lok Sabha Constituency of Madhya Pradesh including 9 JAKs in Katni district, 4 JAKs in Panna district and 25 JAKs in the Chhatarpur district. These Kendras are established and made functional after  obtaining  initial  approval  from  Pharmaceuticals  and  Medical  Devices  Bureau  of  India (PMBI) and obtaining of requisite license from State Drug Licensing Authorities.

(c): A total of 4142 Jan Aushadhi Kendras  have been opened and total sales of Rs. 2022.47 Crore at MRP have been made , across the country during the last financial year i.e F.Y . 202425.

No major incidents have been reported for stock-out during the last financial year.

(d) and (e): The product basket under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojna has 2,110  medicines  and  315  surgicals,  medical  consumables  and  devices,  covering  all  major therapeutic  groups,  such  as  cardiovascular,  anti-cancer,  anti-diabetic,  anti-infectives,  antiallergic  and  gastro-intestinal  medicines  and  nutraceuticals.  Almost  all  generic  medicines included in the National List of Essential Medicines, except lab reagents and vaccines, are part of the product basket.

Currently, more than 850 medicines for chronic diseases and NCD patients are available in the PMBI product basket. For anti- tuberculosis (TB) medicines, TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan was launched  in  the  year  2021  and  registration  of  all  TB  patients  was  done  under  a  separate campaign  by  the  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  with  the  aim  of  providing  free medicines. PMBI surveyed more than 100 JAKs and decided not to include anti-TB medicines due to low demand and the free availability under the aforementioned campaign.

With a view to ensure accessibility and availability of medicines at JAKs, the following measures are in place:

- (i) An  end-to-end  information-technology-enabled supply chain system  consisting currently of five warehouses and 41 distributors across the country, is in place.
- (ii) Since September 2024, stocking by Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) of 200 commonly used medicines, consisting of the 100 top-selling medicines in the product basket and 100  fast-selling  medicines  in  the  market,  is  incentivised  with  JAK  owners  being eligible to receive monthly incentive based on the stocks that they maintain of these medicines.
- (iii) In addition, with a view to ensure availability of commonly used products, 400 fastmoving  products  are  monitored  regularly  by  the  scheme  implementing  agency {Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI)} and demand for the same is forecasted on an ongoing basis. Further, steps have been taken to digitise the forecasting method to augment the procurement process through automation.

(f): The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana scheme serves as a robust avenue for self-employment, offering sustainable and consistent income while creating employment across multiple  levels.To  expand  the  coverage  of  the  scheme,  the  Government  has  set  a  target  to increase in the total number of JAKs opened across the country to 25,000 by end of March 2027.

The Government has adopted a franchise-like model for opening of JAKs by inviting online applications from individual entrepreneurs, non-governmental organisations, societies, trusts, firms, private companies, etc. Any individual having D. Pharma. or B. Pharma. qualification either herself/himself or any individual or organisation who has employed a person with such qualification as  a pharmacist for obtaining drug licence from the State Licensing Authority concerned is eligible to open a Jan Aushadhi Kendra.  Online applications have been invited from all districts of the country, including all districts of state of, Madhya Pradesh through the website www.janaushadhi.gov.in.

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