Generate employment by engaging individual entrepreneurs in opening of Jan Aushadhi Kendra’s
Introduction:
Irony, even after 70 years of Independence, around 40% of 
population are able to afford branded medicines. The branded medicine’s market is of 1 lakh 20 thousand crores, whereas, 6 out of 10 people of the population doesn’t have access to the branded medicines. However, the bright side of the picture is, India is one of the leading countries to export world class generic medicines to around 200 countries. Out of every 6 medicines consumed in the world, 1 is from India. Look at the dichotomy, on one hand 6 out of 10 persons do not have access to medicines, whereas India is within the first four countries of the World, producing quality generic medicines to other countries. Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is a scheme designed to bridge the above dichotomy. It is dedicated, to provide quality medicines at an affordable price to every citizen of the country, irrespective of all cast, creed and economy.The intention is to provide health security to our country-men, at the earliest, as soon as possible.
With a view to achieve the objective of making available quality generic medicines at affordable prices to all, ‘Jan Aushadhi Scheme’ was launched by Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India in November 2008 across the country. The Scheme is being implemented through Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), New Delhi which is working under administrative control of Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India. But till 2015 only 99 PMBJP Kendras were functional. In September 2015, the ‘Jan Aushadhi Scheme’ was revamped as ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana’ (PMJAY). To give impetus to the scheme and for greater outreach, the scheme was again renamed as ‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ (PMBJP) in December 2016 which was followed by a media campaign in national and regional newspapers inviting individuals to participate in the scheme.
Salient features of the Pariyojana:
- • Ensure access to quality medicines for all the section of the population especially for the poor and the deprived ones.
- • Extend coverage of quality generic medicines so as to reduce and thereby redefine the unit cost of treatment per person. Quality procurement through WHO-GMP & CPSUs manufacturers and each batch is released only after clearance from NABL labs.
- • Create awareness about generic medicines through education and publicity to counter the perception that quality is not synonymous with only high price
- • Be a public program involving Government, PSUs, Private Sector, NGO, Societies, Co-operative Bodies and other Institutions.
- • Create demand for generic medicines by improving access to better healthcare through low treatment cost and easy availability wherever needed in all therapeutic categories.
- • Generate employment by engaging individual entrepreneurs in opening of Jan Aushadhi Kendra’s
Benefits to the Running agency/Entrepreneurs/Individuals/etc.
- • Financial support of Rs.2.5 lakhs shall be extended where space is provided free of cost by State Govt. to operating agency.
- • Financial support of Rs.2.5 lakhs shall be extended to Government Agencies where space will be provided free of cost in any government building owned by government bodies like Railways/State Transport Department/Urban Local Bodies/Panchayati Raj Institutions/Post Offices/Defence/PSUs etc.
- • PMBJK opened by the any individual entrepreneurs shall be extended an incentive up to Rs. 2.5 lakhs.
- • SC/ST and differently abled persons shall be benefited with free medicines worth Rs. 50,000/- in the beginning.
Progress achieved during 2016-17 and 2107-18 (as on 22.01.2018):
- • 700+ medicines and 154 surgical and consumables available in the basket for sale through PMBJP. Shortly the basket will be enhanced to 1000 medicines.
- • Central Warehouse adequately stocked with products. Efforts on way to reach all products to distributors and the Kendra’s.
- • Appointed 8 C&F agents in different States and many more are in pipeline for better supply chain management.
- • Appointed 54 distributors spread over different states for better availability.
- • Implemented End to End supply system for making better supply.
- • Many State Government entered MoU for implementing PMBJP in their States.
Accessibility:
Number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendra’s functioning as on 24.01.2018 has reached 3079 (spread over 33 States/UTs).
Per day average sale of per Kendra is Rs. 3300/- which is equivalent to Rs. 15,000/- sales of branded products.
BPPI is opening 4-5 Kendra’s per day across the country.
PMBJP Kendra now present in 33 States/UTs of the country.
Out of the total 718 district in the country, we have now covered 584 districts by opening of PMBJP Kendra.
Progress from April, 2017 onwards is as under:-
PMBJP has drastically brought down the prices of quality medicines and making medicines available within the reach of large section of population especially the poor. Medicines available under PMBJP are priced 50-90% less than that of branded prices, leading to savings of around 400 crores to the citizens as evident from table below:
As per the scheme, every Kendra owner is given 20% margin between their purchase price and selling price.
In addition to the above, for opening up of a Kendra, the Government of India providing financial support of Rs. 2.5 lakhs in the following
manner:-
State Government applicants will provide the space free of charge in the premises of Medical College Hospital, District Hospital or at any other suitable location as may be decided by the State Government for running of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendra (PMBJK) by operating agency.
PMBJK may also be opened by State Government or Government agencies in any Government building owned by Government bodies like Railway/State Transport Department/Urban Local Bodies/Panchayati Raj Institution/Post Offices/Defence/PSUs etc. In all the above cases, the financial assistance will be as follows:-
• Rs. 1 lakh reimbursement of furniture and fixtures
• Rs. 1 lakh by way of free medicines in the beginning
• Rs. 0.50 lakh as reimbursement for computer, internet, printer, scanner, etc.
PMBJK run by private entrepreneurs / pharmacists / NGOs/charitable organizations at anywhere else that are linked with BPPI headquarters through internet shall be extended an incentive up to Rs. 2.5 lakhs. This will be given @ 15% of monthly sales subject to a ceiling of Rs. 10,000/- per month up to a limit of Rs. 2.5 lakhs. In North Eastern States i.e. Naxal affected areas and Tribal areas, the rate of incentive will be 15% and subject to monthly ceiling of Rs. 15,000 and total limit of Rs. 2.5 lakhs.
In order to attract ST/SC and specially disabled citizens, the Government support scheme has been modified to give medicines worth Rs. 50,000/- in advance within the support of Rs. 2.50 lakhs to start the store.
List of PMBJP Kendras as on 13-Feb-18
