Parliament Question: Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3348 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7TH AUGUST 2026 Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana 3348. Shri Arun Bharti: Shri Rajesh Verma: Smt. Shambhavi: Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state: (a) the operational progress of the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) during the financial year 2025-2026 in the State of Bihar; (b) the total number of new Janaushadhi Kendras (JAKs) sanctioned, opened and currently functioning in the Government hospitals and rural blocks of Bihar during the last one year; (c) the total sales volume and the estimated out-of-pocket expenditure, savings generated through the purchase of generic medicines in Bihar; (d) whether the Government has received reports of supply chain disruptions leading to the frequent stock-out of critical chronic disease medicines at the Kendras in the said State; and (e) the logistical steps being taken by the Government to establish regional central warehouses to ensure the uninterrupted supply of generic drugs in the said State? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL) (a) to (c): The operational progress of the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) in the State of Bihar during the financial year 2025-26 is as under: • A Total of 410 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have been opened in the State of Bihar in the F.Y. 2025-26 including 3 Kendra in Government Hospitals and 309 Kendra in rural areas. • Sales amounting to ₹219.18 crore have been recorded in the State of Bihar, resulting in estimated savings of approximately ₹876.72 crore of the citizens during the said period.• In addition, to ensure the affordable availability of menstrual hygiene products for women, Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Sanitary Napkins are being made available through Jan Aushadhi Kendras at ₹1 per pad. During FY 2025–26, more than 1.17 crore Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Sanitary Napkins have been sold through Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the State of Bihar. (d): Continuous monitoring of stock availability is undertaken, and timely corrective measures are implemented to minimize stock shortages and ensure the uninterrupted availability of essential medicines across the country, including Bihar. In order to address any supply gaps and ensure smooth supply and availability of products at JAKs, the following measures are in place: (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 fast- selling medicines in the market, has been incentivised, under which JAK owners are eligible for monthly incentive based on the stocks that they maintain for 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 five warehouses and a growing network of distributors across the country, currently numbering 42. (iii)In addition, with a view to ensure availability of commonly used products, 400 fast- moving products are monitored regularly by Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the scheme implementing agency, and demand for the same is estimated on a continuous basis. Further, steps have been taken to digitise the estimation method to augment the procurement process. (e): At present, there is no proposal to establish any regional warehouse in the State of Bihar. *****