Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers Shri D V Sadananda Gowda has said that with a vision to provide quality medicines at affordable rates for the common men especially the poor, Govt. of India has set a target to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) to 10500 by the end of March 2024. The PMBJKs are being set up by Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India ( BPPI) under Deptt of Pharmaceuticals (M/o C& F), the implementing agency of Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojna( PMBJP.
With this all the districts in the country will have Janaushadhi kendras. This will ensure easy reach of affordable medicines to the people in every nook and corner of the country. As on 15 September 2020 the number of stores in the country has increased to 6603.
In the months of March to June, 2020, due to COVID Pandemic lockdown and thereafter, PMBJK had faced many challenges regarding shortage of API and other raw material of pharmaceuticals and disturbance in supply of medicines to its retail stores from Central and Regional Warehouses due to transportation issues, etc. Keeping this in view and with the expansion plan, establishment of an effective IT-enabled logistics and supply-chain system for ensuring real-time distribution of medicines at all outlets is also being chalked out.
At present four warehouses of Janaushadhi Kendras are functional at Gurugram, Chennai, Bengaluru & Guwahati. Further, it is planned to open two more warehouses in Western and Central India. In addition, appointment of Distributors in States/UTs is also being envisioned to strengthen the supply chain system.
With approved budget of Rs. 490 crore for the period 2020-21 to 2024- 25, PMBJP Scheme has drastically brought down the prices of quality medicines and making them available to a large section of population, especially the poor.
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RCJ/RKM