Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has suspended all Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) operating within government hospital premises, citing the state’s policy of providing all medicines free of cost to patients.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday clarified that the decision applies only to Kendras inside government hospital campuses, while those operating outside will continue to function.
“When medicines are already being provided free in government hospitals, there is no justification for subsidised pharmacies to operate within the same premises,” Rao said.
Rao noted that government doctors are not permitted to prescribe medicines to be purchased from private or outside sources. Hospitals have been directed to procure generic medicines directly from the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) or through the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation (KSMSCL) to ensure free distribution to patients.
Besides, the state government has also turned down proposals to open fresh PMBJKs outlets in hospital premises,
“In line with this, 31 proposals to open Jan Aushadhi Kendras within hospital premises have been rejected,” Rao said, adding that he has urged the public to use government hospital medicine centres for free access to drugs.
The move sparked criticism from Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje, who posted a copy of the government order on X and termed the decision “anti-poor, anti-healthcare and anti-livelihood.” Karandlaje represents Udupi-Chikkamagaluru in the Lok Sabha.
The PMBJK scheme, launched in 2008, aims to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices through dedicated outlets. As of February 2025, over 15,000 Kendras are operational nationwide, nearly 1,000 of which are led by women entrepreneurs. The Union Government aims to increase this number to 25,000 by March 2026.
A recent PIB report stated that the PMBJK clocked sales of Rs 200 crore in September 2024, with the number of Kendras rising 170-fold over the last decade — from 80 in 2014 to over 15,000 currently.
