Jan Aushadhi Kendras Can Now Open in Every Locality

The government has removed the minimum distance requirement between Jan Aushadhi Kendras, allowing multiple centers to open in metro cities and cities with a population of over one million. The objective is to make affordable and high-quality generic medicines easily available to the public.

These centers, which started in 2014, provide medicines that are 50% to 90% cheaper than branded alternatives while maintaining similar quality and effectiveness.

Easy Access to Medicines Without Crowds

Now, people won’t have to wander or struggle through crowds to get affordable generic medicines. By removing the rule that required a minimum distance between Jan Aushadhi Kendras in large cities, the government has paved the way for setting up multiple centers in the same area. This will improve medicine accessibility and reduce out-of-pocket expenses for the public.

Relief from Expensive Branded Medicines

To counter costly branded drugs, the central government launched Jan Aushadhi Kendras across India starting in 2014. These centers offer generic medicines that are up to 90% cheaper yet match the quality and effectiveness of branded drugs.

Distance Rule Removed in High Population Cities

According to internal documents from the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the agency implementing this scheme, the distance rule between centers has now been removed.

Rule Still Applies in Cities With Less Than 1 Million Population

Due to higher population density in urban areas, the government has decided to remove the minimum distance requirement to ensure accessibility and wider availability of Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Earlier, a one-kilometer distance rule was in place. However, this rule will still apply in cities with a population of less than one million.

Government Support for Jan Aushadhi Kendras

The government supports Jan Aushadhi Kendras through incentives—up to ₹20,000 per month and a one-time assistance of ₹2 lakh. To ensure medicine quality, all generic medicines are sourced from companies that follow WHO-GMP (World Health Organization - Good Manufacturing Practices) standards.