Context

Recently, Central Warehouse & the Digital Cash Management System for PMBJP have been setup by Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.  

About

Central Warehouse:

• The hi-tech Central Warehouse has been setup by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) in Bilaspur, Gurugram.
• It will facilitate seamless distribution of Jan Aushadhi generic medicines to all PMBJP Kendra functional across the country.
• Central Warehouse has been established as per WHO guidelines for ensuring better quality storage and logistics services.

Digital Cash Management System

• Digital Cash Management System for PMBJP will be implemented through partnership between BPPI and Bank of Baroda.
• It will be implemented at all PMBJP Kendra for purchasing medicines.
• The cashless transactions will be done only through unique virtual accounts opened by Bank of Baroda for each and every PMJBP Kendra pan-India.

PMBJP

Its mission is to bring down healthcare budget of every Indian citizen by providing quality generic medicines at affordable prices. It aims to ensure this by

• Creating awareness regarding generic medicines among public.
• Creating demand for generic medicines through medical practioners.
• Creating awareness through education and awareness program that high price need not be synonymous with high quality.
• Providing all the commonly used generic medicines covering all the therapeutic groups.
• Providing all the related health care products too under the scheme.

Implementing agency:

BPPI under the administrative control of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers (GoI) is the implementation agency for the PMBJP.

Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) BPPI has been established under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India, with the support of all the Pharma CPSUs for coordinating procurement, supply and marketing of generic drugs through the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras. In April 2010, BPPI got registered as an independent society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 as a separate legal entity. BPPI follows the provisions of General Financial Rules (GFR) 2005 and CVC guidelines as amended from time to time and also instructions from the Department of Pharmaceuticals.

Achievements:

More than 4200 PMBJP Kendra functional in 34 States/UTs across the country together have ensured following milestones:

• Availability of 700+ medicines and 154 surgical and consumables in the basket for sale through PMBJKs. Shortly the basket will be enhanced to 1000 medicines.
• Spread of functional distribution network comprising of one Central Warehouse, four regional warehouse and 53 distributors across different states.
• Implementation of SAP based end-to-end Supply Chain Management System.
• Implementation of ‘Point of Sale’ software application at our all PMBJP kendras.
• Coverage of 638 districts, with remaining 81 being covered on priority.

All financial transactions are being done in digital mode upholding the concept of “Digital India”.

 

Significance

The scheme is a move in right direction for achieving the goal of affordable and accessible healthcare system.  It will reduce out of the pocket expenditure on health and medicines. The out of the pocket expenditure is one of the largest expenditures on healthcare sector in India in terms of its share to GDP. Availability of cheap generic medicines to the poor and needy would save their income to be invested in other asset creating investments.

Learning Aid