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 The Karnataka government has suspended Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) operating within the government hospital premises across its 31 districts. But all Jan Aushadhi Kendras outside the premises of government hospitals will function. This is because the 216 government hospitals in the state are supposed to provide all medicines free of cost to the patients.
The move comes in after State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao clarified that only the Jan Aushadhi Kendras functioning within the premises of the government hospitals have been suspended and those operating outside the government hospitals will continue to be operational.
Noting that Jan Aushadhi Kendras provide medicines at a subsidised price, but when the Karnataka government was already providing free medicine to the patients which accessed its government hospitals, Rao said there was no need for Jan Aushadhi Kendras to be functioning within the government hospital premises.
Rao's clarification came a day after Union Minister of Labour and Employment, who is also the Member of Parliament representing Udupi Chickmagaluru in Karnataka Lok Sabha Constituency, Shobha Karandlaje shared a post of a government order regarding the closure of Jan Aushadi Kendras in the premises of government hospitals on X. She claimed, "This decision isn't just anti-poor, it is anti-healthcare and anti-livelihood."
The PMBJK scheme offers quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all citizens. Under the scheme, dedicated outlets known as Janaushadhi Kendras are opened to provide generic medicines at affordable prices.
"Only the Jan Aushadhi Kendras functioning within the premises of the government hospitals are suspended. Those operating outside the government hospital premises will continue to operate," Rao said, responding to her post on X.
The state government doctors are not permitted to endorse patients to purchase any prescribed drugs from outside sources. Hospitals have also been instructed to negotiate special pricing with the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) or procure generic medicines directly from BPPI to distribute it free of cost to patients, he said.
In the past, Rao had stated that the practice of government hospitals doctors writing prescriptions for patients to purchase medicines from private medical shops should be stopped. In fact, the patients should be provided with adequate medicines free of cost in government hospitals.
"In this context, 31 proposals submitted to open Jan Aushadhi Kendras on the premises of government hospitals have been rejected. It has been suggested that KSMSCL (Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation) and BPPI should formulate special rates for the purchase of generic medicines, and alternatively, hospitals can purchase medicines from BPPI and distribute them to patients free of cost,” he said.
Rao also made a request to the public to get medicines free of cost at the medicine centres in government hospitals themselves.
In November 2008, the Department of Pharmaceuticals launched the PMBJP. As per February 2025, there are over 15,057 Jan Aushadi Kendras in the country with almost 1,000 Kendras led by women entrepreneurs. By March 2026, 25,000 Kendras are expected. The outlets have 2,047 affordable drugs and 300 surgical items, slashing prices by 50% to 90%, said Prof R Raveendra, Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, MIT Pharmacy college, Belawadi, Mysuru.
A PIB report states PMBJP clocked sales of Rs. 200 crore in September 2024. The growth in sales and the number of Kendras from just 80 in 2014 to over 15,000 currently indicates a 170 times growth over a decade.
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