Lok Sabha Question No. 1146 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-05
Subject: Regular Supply of Medicines
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Brijendra Singh Ola

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1146 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 th  DECEMBER, 2025

## Regular Supply of Medicines

## †1146. Shri Brijendra Singh Ola:

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

- (a) whether it is true that many essential life-saving medicines are often unavailable at Jan Aushadhi Kendras;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the concrete steps taken to ensure effective and regular supply of medicines at these centres along with the results thereof;
- (c)  whether  experts,  consumers  and  doctors  have  raised  questions  about  the  quality  of medicines available at these Jan Aushadhi Kendras, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  any  necessary  concrete  mechanisms  have  been  set  up  to  ensure  continuous inspection, testing and standardization to improve the quality of these medicines; and
- (e) if so, the findings of the enquiry and if not, whether this does not amount to a compromise with the health?

## ANSWER

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

(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a)  and  (b):  The  product  basket  under the  Pradhan Mantri  Bhartiya Janaushadhi Yojna 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.

Number of steps have been taken to ensure effective and regular supply of medicines at Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs), including the following:

- (i) Since  September  2024,  stocking  by  JAKs  of  200  commonly  used  medicines, consisting of the 100 top-selling medicines in the scheme product basket and 100 fastselling medicines in the market, has been incentivised, under which JAK owners are eligible  for  monthly  incentive  based  on  the  stocks  that  they  maintain  of  these medicines.
- (ii) An end-to-end  information-technology-enabled  supply  chain  system  is  in  place  to connect  a  robust  supply  chain  system  consisting  of  one  central  warehouse,  four regional  warehouses  and  a  growing  network  of  distributors  across  the  country, currently numbering 39.
- (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.

As a result, the sale of medicines from JAKs has increased from maximum retail price value totalling ₹1,470 crore in the financial year (FY) 2023-24 to ₹2,022.47 crore in FY202425.

(c)  to  (e):  Anyone,  including  experts,  consumers  and  doctors,  may  lodge  their  grievances regarding JAKs, including in respect of quality of medicines made available through them, using the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal of  the  Government of  India  or  by  emailing  the  same  to  complaints@janaushadhi.gov.in  or calling the scheme helpline number 1800 180 8080. While about 15 lakh consumers purchase Janaushadhi daily across the country, the number of grievances lodged during the whole year in  FY2024-25  was  2,102,  which  translates  into  a  grievance  registration  rate  of  less  than 0.0004%.

With a view to ensure quality of medicines available at JAKs so that health of patients is  not  compromised,  concrete  mechanisms  have  been  put  in  place  to  ensure  continuous inspection, testing and standardisation, including the following:

- (i) Supply only from WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certified plants: Only plants  that  are  certified  as  WHO-GMP  compliant  by  the  Central  Drugs  Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) after direct inspection are eligible for supply.
- (ii) Distribution only after 100% pre-testing of all medicine batches: Samples are drawn from 100% of batches supplied at PMBI's warehouses for testing anonymously, and medicines are dispatched for supply to JAKs only after the quality test is passed.
- (iii) Testing only at labs compliant with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP): Samples are tested only at labs accredited and periodically inspected by the National Accreditation  Board  for  Testing  and  Calibration  Laboratories (NABL)  and,  in addition, assessed by PMBI for GLP compliance.

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