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The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has unveiled an ambitious target of establishing 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), by the year 2027. According to the government data, the DoP has set up a total of 12,616 outlets in the length and breadth of the country till the end of June, 2024. As per the data, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of JAKs, at 2,210 outlets, followed by Kerala (1,228), Karnataka (1,225) and Tamil Nadu (1,107). These are the only States which have crossed the mark of 1000 outlets. While Gujarat (682), Maharashtra (675), Bihar (638), and Odhisha (556) are comparatively faring well, States like Himachal Pradesh (74), Jharkhand (120), Chattisgarh (202), Telangana (180), Andhra Pradesh (268), Uttarakhand (284), and Madhya Pradesh (403) are some of the States yet to leverage the benefits of the low cost generic stores. The Jan Aushadhi scheme was an ambitious project launched by the then Union Chemicals Minister Ramvilas Paswan way back in 2008 to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices to the common people. No doubt, it was a bold initiative by the then UPA government to provide generic drugs at affordable prices to the poor people. Prices of medicines sold through these Jan Aushadhi stores are cheaper at least by 50 per cent and in some cases medicines are cheaper by 80-90 per cent of the market price of branded medicines. Of course, the scheme has made a significant impact to the lives of common people by providing quality generic medicines at affordable prices. Over the last 10 years, sale of medicines worth Rs. 5,600 crore have been made through PMBJPs, which has led to an estimated savings of Rs. 30,000 crore to the citizens. Besides, the scheme has provided opportunities for self-employment with sustainable and regular earnings.
Though it was launched with much fanfare in 2008, the scheme never really took-off in the initial years as there were vested interests even within the government who did not really want the scheme to go ahead due to intense pressure from the industry. As a result, the project dragged on for several years, and the target was never achieved as the government could open only a couple of hundred stores in the first 7 years. In fact, the scheme got a new lease of life when the new government led by Modi not only saw it as a vehicle to provide affordable generic medicines but also an employment avenue for thousands of small entrepreneurs. The scheme was then revamped and rechristened as PMBJP in 2016. Since then, the project has been gaining momentum and the number of stores has steadily been increasing across the country. That the government is committed to make this project a huge success is clear from the fact that it has been organizing seminars, programmes for children, women and NGO’s, heritage walks, health camps and many other activities engaging the Jan Aushadhi Kendra owners, beneficiaries, State/UT officials, public representatives, doctors, health workers, nurses and pharmacists. The government’s focus on providing quality medicines at affordable prices is very much evident as the product basket of this programme has also ballooned over the years as it now comprises around 2000 medicines and 300 surgical instruments. Further, new medicines and nutraceuticals products like protein powder, malt-based food supplements, protein bar, immunity bar, sanitizer, masks, glucometer, oximeter, etc. have also been launched. Under the PMBJP, 743 districts out of 764 districts of the nation have already been covered. But, given the fact that the government has been able to open only around 12,000 outlets during the last eight years, the question arises will it be able to open more than 12,000 outlets in the next three years time. Of course, the government has a herculean task to achieve.
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