Parliament Question: Review of Amrit Outlets

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOKSABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 5691 TO BE ANSWERED ON27.03.2026 REVIEWOFAMRITOUTLETS 5691.SHRIGURMEETSINGH MEETHAYER: Will the MINISTER OFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleased tostate: (a) whether any review, audit or inspection has been conducted since 1 April 2023 into the functioning of Amrit retail outlets operating in public hospitals to verify that whether theysell genuine branded medicinesat declareddiscounted prices; (b) if so, the detailsthereofalong with the findingsof such reviews; (c) the number of complaints received alleging artificial price inflation or false discount claims, State/UT-wise along with the action taken by the Government therein includingpenalties,prosecutions or closure orders; (d) whether the Government hasproposed any steps to ensure price transparency, random qualityandprice checks anda public grievancemechanism; and (e) if so, the details thereof along with the timeline likely to be taken for the publications of full auditreports? ANSWER MINISTER OFSTATE IN MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) to (e): Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) initiative is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare aimed at reducing the financial burden on patients suffering from cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other critical ailments. AMRIT pharmacies operate under a Company Owned, Company Operated (COCO) model, managedbyHLLLifecareLimited, a Government of India Enterprise. The monitoring, review, and inspection of AMRIT outlets are conducted in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between HLL Lifecare Limited and the respective State Governments or host Institutions. These reviews focuses on supply chain integrity, adherence to discounted pricing structures, stock availability and sale of genuine branded medicines at discounted prices. The financial and operational performancesof AMRITpharmacies are subject tostatutory auditson annualbasis. Further, following mechanisms are currently in place in order to ensure transparency and qualityassurance:• Pricing and discount structures are governed by the terms of the MoU. AMRIT pharmacies utilize an integrated IT system to ensure that discounts are automatically applied at the point of sale, minimizing manualintervention. • Medicines are sourced directly from reputed manufacturers or authorized distributors, ensuring the authenticity of brandeddrugs. • Arobust public grievancemechanism is active,allowingpatientsor their attendantsto report discrepancies directly to the hospital authorities or specialized feedback email (amrit_ncc@lifecarehll.com) or through HLL Lifecare Limited website (https://www.lifecarehll.com/complaint) or Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal. The complaints received regarding service delivery or pricinghave beenexamined andresolved ina time boundmanner. *****