Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah on Monday stated that the decision to allow Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to open Jan Aushadhi Kendras will not only benefit cooperative societies but will also flow down to the lowest strata of the society.

He pointed out that in the last nine years, about Rs 26,000 crore of poor people’s money have been saved through the Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Generic medicines are available at 50-90 per cent of market prices at these Kendras, ensuring affordable healthcare, he added.

Mr Shah and Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers & Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya were jointly addressing the National Mega Conclave on “PACS as Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra”, here.

The conclave was organised with the motto “Sahakar – se – Samriddhi” to highlight the major initiatives taken by the Ministry of Cooperation and the progress achieved so far. As per the new model bye laws adopted by the Ministry of Cooperation, the scope of PACS has been widened beyond their original function of dealing with agricultural credits at the grassroot level. PACS are now empowered to access many other avenues like opening of Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

Mr Shah also shed light on other important initiatives of the Union Government like the Ayushman Bharat initiative, Mission Indradhanush, Jal Jeevan Mission, Digital Health, Malaria Elimination Mission and TB Mukt Bharat Initiative among others. He said these initiatives have transformed the healthcare landscape of the country. He also highlighted that besides improving healthcare infrastructure in the country through PM-ABHIM and providing free health insurance for the poor through AB-PMJAY, the government has also substantially reduced the over-the-counter cost of buying medicines by the expanding the network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras and ensuring the availability of diverse high-quality medicines in these centres. “Medicines for dialysis that cost Rs 65 are available for only Rs 5 in Jan Aushadhi Kendras”, he stated.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Mandaviya informed that “in the first phase, 2,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras are planned to be opened through PACS”. He also informed that the Department of Pharmaceuticals has already approved more than 2,300 applications from PACS for opening Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the country, of which 500 are already functional at present. He stated that “opening Jan Aushadhi Kendras through PACS would strengthen PACS as a cooperative organisation besides expanding the reach of quality and affordable medicines in the country”.

The minister highlighted the merits of the Jan Aushadhi scheme, especially for the poorer section of the society. He stated that “the aim of the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana is to provide good and affordable medicines to the consumers along with providing them employment opportunities.”