Local politics mars Jan Aushadhi scheme implementation in state

The Union government is facing minor glitches in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) in the state, with regard to the branding of the stores.

These 'affordable' medical stores have the name 'Pradhan Mantri' and a photograph of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the non-local BJP leaders are objecting to this move.

Parashuram Kencharaddi, senior marketing officer, Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, said that they faced certain branding issues while setting up Jan Aushadhi stores in government hospitals.

"In Hoskote, we faced objections from local leaders, who do not want the photo of Prime Minister Modi to be put on the board of the Jan Aushadhi Centre. The issue is with regard to the local politics. Otherwise, we are getting complete support from the state health department," he added.

He said since the ruling parties in the Centre and the state are different and are opposed to each other, such conflicts are bound to happen. The schemes meant for the public have to reach everybody overcoming these hurdles he added.

He said that  Jan Aushadhi centres have been set up at 270 locations in the state, including 25 in Bengaluru alone.

There is no problem with such centres coming up in private locations, but the objections arise only at government hospitals, he said.  

An official from the health department agreed that there is "local democracy" in certain places where PMBJP centres had to be set up inside government hospitals. However, Karnataka, one of the states to have taken the scheme ahead, has coordinated to set up 88 stores in government hospitals across the state, he added.

PMBJP is a Central government scheme wherein medicines are sold at lower prices, nearly 50%-90% less than the branded medicines. These medicine stores provide more than 600 types of medicines and 100 types of surgical medicines.  

It covers all 23 major therapeutic categories such as anti-infective, anti-diabetic, cardiovascular, anti-cancer and gastro-intestinal medicines.  

The scheme supplies drugs and provides financial assistance up to Rs 2.5 lakh to individuals, NGOs, institutions and other organisations to run the store.