**Executive Summary**
This report details government initiatives, specifically the Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI) and the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), designed to ensure the availability of essential medicines and reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for patients. As of February 28, 2026, over 18,646 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have been established nationwide to provide affordable generic drugs. Key actions include the ongoing roll-out of IT-enabled monitoring systems across various health facility levels to track procurement and supply.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI)**
* Operated under the National Health Mission (NHM) to provide financial support to States and Union Territories for free essential medicines.
* Funding is based on requirements submitted by States in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).
* The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) has recommended facility-specific Essential Medicines Lists (EML), ranging from 106 medicines at Sub Health Centres to 381 at District Hospitals.
**Infrastructure and Monitoring**
* Support is provided for procurement systems, quality assurance, supply chain management, warehousing, and prescription audits.
* The Drugs & Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS) IT platform and a Central Dashboard have been developed to monitor real-time procurement and availability.
* States are currently working to implement the DVDMS portal down to the Sub Health Centre level.
**Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)**
* A total of 18,646 JAKs are operational as of February 28, 2026, with 2,370 located within government hospitals.
* Medicines at JAKs are priced 50% to 80% lower than branded equivalents.
* The product basket includes 2,110 medicines and 315 surgical/medical consumables, covering major therapeutic groups like anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and cardiovascular drugs.
**JAK Expansion and Eligibility**
* JAKs operate on a franchise-like model open to individual entrepreneurs (with D. Pharma or B. Pharma qualifications), NGOs, trusts, and private companies.
* Establishment requires approval from the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) and licenses from State Drug Licensing Authorities.
* In Bihar, 1,127 JAKs have been opened, with recent applications received from the West Champaran district.
**Impact Analysis**
**Patients and the General Public**
**Impact**
Patients benefit from a significant reduction in out-of-pocket expenses due to the availability of free drugs in public facilities and low-cost generics (50%–80% cheaper) at JAKs.
**Action Required**
Utilize public healthcare facilities for essential medicines and access JAKs for affordable branded-equivalent generics.
**States and Union Territories**
**Impact**
States receive financial and technical support to strengthen their pharmaceutical supply chains and procurement systems.
**Action Required**
Submit requirements through Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) and ensure the full roll-out of the DVDMS portal for monitoring.
**Entrepreneurs and Organizations**
**Impact**
Qualified individuals and organizations have the opportunity to establish JAKs under a government franchise model.
**Action Required**
Apply online via the official website (www.janaushadhi.gov.in), obtain PMBI approval, and secure requisite licenses from State Drug Licensing Authorities.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP): A flagship scheme of the Department of Pharmaceuticals aimed at providing quality generic medicines at affordable prices through a network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI): An initiative launched under the National Health Mission to provide free essential medicines in public health facilities to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for patients.
National Health Mission (NHM): The primary healthcare mission that provides financial support to States and Union Territories for implementing health programs and the procurement of essential drugs.
Drugs & Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS): An IT-enabled platform used for monitoring the procurement, supply chain, and real-time availability of essential medicines across public healthcare facilities.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI): The implementing agency under the Department of Pharmaceuticals responsible for the approval and functional oversight of Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers :
Department of Pharmaceuticals
Availability of Essential Medicines in Government
Hospitals
Posted On: 27 MAR 2026 4:26PM by PIB Delhi
As per information provided by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) to ensure
availability of essential drugs and reduce the Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) of the patients visiting
the public health facilities, Government has rolled out the Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI) under
National Health Mission (NHM). Under this, financial support is provided to States / Union Territories
for provision of free essential medicines in public health facilities based on the requirements posed by
them in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall resource envelope.
MoH&FW has recommended facility wise Essential Medicines List (EML) including drugs for cancer
treatment to be made available at the public healthcare facilities:
Sub Health Centre Health & Wellness Centre (SHC-HWCs) - 106
Primary Health Centre Health & Wellness Centre (PHC-HWCs) - 172
Community Health Centres (CHCs) - 300
Sub-District Hospital - 318
District Hospital (DHs) – 381
Support under the scheme is available for Procurement of drugs and strengthening /setting up robust
systems of procurement, Quality Assurance, Supply chain management and warehousing, Prescription
audit, grievance redressal, dissemination of Standard Treatment Guidelines and Establishment of IT
enabled platform DVDMS (Drugs & Vaccine Distribution Management System) for monitoring the real
status of procurement and availability of essential medicines. To facilitate the monitoring of supply chain
management activity at National level, a Central Dashboard has been developed. Few states have
implemented the roll out of the DVDMS portal till Sub health centres while many others are attempting to
do so for the successful monitoring of the real status of procurement and availability of essential
medicines.
Furthermore, under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana of Department of
Pharmaceutical, Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizer a total of 18,646 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have
been opened across the country as on 28.02.2026, out of which 2,370, Jan Aushadhi Kendras has been
opened specifically in Government hospitals to provide medicines at rates that are about 50% to 80%
cheaper than those of branded medicines.
A total of 1127 Jan Aushadhi Kendras are opened in the State of Bihar as on 28.02.2026 for providing
affordable medicines under the Scheme.Total 23 applications (09 in Narkatiagant and 14 in Bagaha) have been received from West Champaran
district of Bihar. 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.
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 West Champaran district, Bihar
through the website www.janaushadhi.gov.in.
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, anti-allergic 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.
The product basket has been reviewed from time to time by a committee to evaluate the market demand of
existing and newly launched/off-patent medicines, based on feedback and analysis from JAKs, citizens
and market reports.
This information was given by Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a
written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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