Railways to Establish Janaushadhi Kendras at 50 Railway Stations

The Indian Railways has taken steps to improve the well-being of passengers at railway stations by introducing a policy framework for setting up Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) in the circulating areas and concourses of stations. These kendras will be managed by authorized licensees. A pilot project has been initiated at 50 selected stations, as listed below:

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The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) will be strategically placed in easily accessible locations within the circulating areas and concourses to benefit both incoming and outgoing passengers.

These kendras will be established and managed by authorized Licensees at locations determined by Railway Divisions.
The allocation of stalls will be done through E-auctioning by respective Railway Divisions via IREPS (Indian Railways E-Procurement System).
The design of these stalls will be created by the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad.
The successful bidders for PMBJK outlets are required to obtain the necessary permissions and licenses to operate a drug store and adhere to all legal requirements for drug storage.

Before initiating operations, the successful bidders of PMBJK outlets are required to enter into an agreement with the designated nodal agency for PMBJK, which is the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), as well as its authorized distributors for the Janaushadhi Scheme, as mandated by PMBI.

Objectives

Indian Railways has been consistently improving the facilities and services at its stations to meet the needs of millions of daily visitors and passengers. The establishment of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) at railway stations serves the following objectives:

Promoting the Government of India’s mission to provide high-quality medicines and consumables (Janaushadhi products) to everyone at an affordable cost.
Ensuring easy access to Janaushadhi products for passengers and visitors at railway stations.
Enhancing the well-being and health of all segments of society by making medicines available at affordable prices.
Generating employment opportunities and creating avenues for entrepreneurs to operate PMBJKs.

As part of this initiative, PMBJKs will be considered a “desirable passenger amenity,” and accordingly, Railways will provide specially designed outlets in the circulating areas and concourses of stations. These outlets will be operated by authorized Licensees on commercial terms, ensuring the availability of Janaushadhi products to the public.

Shubham Mittal

Shubham Mittal is a renowned current affairs writer and expert in government exam preparation, inspiring readers with insightful articles and guiding aspirants with his expertise.

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