Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers Shri DV Sadananda Gowda launched 8 immunity boosting products under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Priyojana (PMBJP) for sale through Janaushadhi Kendras across country.

These products are comparable in quality and are cheaper by over 26% than the market price. Through the massive network of Janaushadhi Kendras, the immunity boosting- protein products will reach a large population promoting good health. Shri Gowda further said that Government is also now providing many nutraceuticals like protein supplements, malt-based nutrition drinks, immunity booster etc for improving overall health and nutritional condition of people.

The products are

    1. Jan Aushadhi Poshan malt-based

    2. Jan Aushadhi Poshan malt based with Cocoa

    3. Protein Powder (Chocolate)

    4. Protein Powder (Vanilla)

    5. Protein Powder (Kesar Pista)

    6. Jan Aushadhi Janani

    7. Protein Bar

    8. Jan Aushadhi Immunity Bar

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is a campaign launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses. Exclusive outlets namely "Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Kendra" have been set up to provide generic drugs, which are available at lesser prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy as expensive branded drugs. It was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in November 2008 under the name Jan Aushadi Campaign. Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is the implementation agency for PMBJP.

Objective

    • Ensure access to quality medicines for all the section of the population especially for the poor and the deprived ones

    • Create awareness about generic medicines through education and publicity to counter the perception that quality is synonymous with high price only

    • Generate employment by engaging individual entrepreneurs in opening of PMBJP kendra.

Mission

    1. Create awareness among public regarding generic medicines

    2. Create demand for generic medicines through medical practitioners

    3. Create awareness through education and awareness program that high price need not be synonymous with high quality

    4. Provide all the commonly used generic medicines covering all the therapeutic groups

    5. Provide all the related health care products too under the scheme

Progress so far

    • A medicine under PMBJP is priced on the principle of a maximum of 50% of the average price of top three branded medicines. Therefore, the price of Jan Aushadhi Medicines is cheaper at least by 50% and in some cases, by 80% to 90% of the market price of branded medicines. In the last financial year (2019-20), PMBJP has achieved sales of Rs. 258 crores (at MRP), up to 30-11-2019. This has led to savings of approximately Rs. 1800 crores of the common citizens of the country.

    • As on 20.12.2019, 5891 PMBJP Kendras are functional across the country. Under the PMBJP, 693 districts out of 725, are already covered. BPPI has fixed a target to cover all 725 districts of the country by 31st March, 2020.

    • Product basket of BPPI comprises of more than 800 drugs and 154 surgical instruments. Tenders for required medicines are floated on regular basis as it is an ongoing process. Thus, regular efforts are made for augmenting the product basket of PMBJP so that essential medicines are readily available.

    • Information Technology (IT) enabled End-to-End supply chain system with Point-of-Sale (POS) application for value added services has been implemented in PMBJP.

    • Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), the implementing agency of PMBJP has four modern warehouses at Gurugram, Bengaluru, Guwahati and Chennai for storage and distribution of drugs. Drugs are made available to all kendras across the country from these warehouses.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)