Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) – launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 – seeks to provide quality-assured generic medicines at significantly lower prices through a network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country.
Medicines supplied under PMBJP are procured exclusively from manufacturers compliant with the World Health Organszation’s Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP), thereby ensuring adherence to internationally recognised quality standards. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing at laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
Widening footprint
Under the scheme, over 18,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) are operational. The scheme’s product portfolio includes 2,110 medicines, 315 surgical items, medical consumables, and devices spanning 29 therapeutic categories. On average, about 10 to 12 lakh persons visit these Kendras daily.
The maximum retail prices (MRPs) of medicines available under the PMBJP are generally 50-80 per cent lower than those of comparable branded medicines, significantly reducing rural households’ healthcare expenditure. By June 2025, Jan Aushadhi medicines with an aggregate MRP value of Rs 7,700 crore have been sold.
The Government has set a target to open 25,000 JAKs under the scheme by March 2027. To achieve this target, a franchise-based model has been adopted.
The PMBJP has introduced several citizen-centric initiatives to improve accessibility, affordability, and awareness in healthcare delivery. The Janaushadhi Suvidha Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkins is one key initiative, introduced in 2019, to enhance affordable access to menstrual hygiene products for women.
A ‘Jan Aushadhi Sugam’ mobile application was launched in 2019 to strengthen accessibility, transparency, and user convenience. The application serves as a digital interface that enables citizens to access information on generic medicines and related services in a streamlined manner.
Strategic expansion
The scheme not only focuses on expanding the network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) but also emphasises ensuring their operational stability and long-term sustainability. In this regard, several strategic measures have been undertaken to reinforce the viability and effectiveness of JAKs:
Expansion of product basket: The range of medicines is continually expanding to cover a wide spectrum of chronic and acute conditions, ensuring broader patient access.
Integration with public health infrastructure: State health departments and other authorities are encouraged to facilitate the opening of JAKs within Government hospitals by providing rent-free premises.
Performance-linked stocking norms: A minimum stocking requirement mandates that Kendras maintain at least 200 fast-moving medicines to qualify for incentives, ensuring consistent availability of essential drugs.
Cooperative sector participation: Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) can leverage their widespread rural network of over 13 crores small and marginal farmers and their existing infrastructure, such as land, buildings, and storage facilities, to establish and operate Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
JAKs at railways stations: Under the scheme, a total of 116 JAKs have been established at railway stations across the country as of January 31, 2026. This initiative seeks to enhance accessibility by ensuring the availability of medicines to migrant workers and low-income travelers.
The maximum retail prices of medicines available under the PMBJP are generally 50-80 per cent lower than those of comparable branded medicines, significantly reducing rural households’ healthcare expenditure