Parliament Question: Supply of Generic Medicines

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5626 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27TH 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. 2024- 25. 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, 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. 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 fast- moving 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. *****