Jammu and Kashmir Opens 335 Jan Aushadhi Kendras as India Pushes Sweeping Pharma Reforms

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir now hosts 335 Jan Aushadhi Kendras under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP), part of a wider national network of 16,912 such outlets that have been established across India to improve access to affordable generic medicines. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Friday, said these kendras are visited by 10 to 12 lakh citizens daily, offering essential medicines at prices up to 80% lower than branded equivalents.

The scheme has become a cornerstone of India’s pharmaceutical outreach, especially in far-flung and underserved regions like Jammu and Kashmir. With 335 kendras functional in the Union Territory, it has emerged as one of the more active participants in the government’s ongoing push to make healthcare affordable and accessible, particularly for chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and gastrointestinal disorders.

But the proliferation of Jan Aushadhi Kendras is just one aspect of a broader overhaul in India’s pharmaceutical policy architecture. In the same reply, the government detailed a series of ambitious schemes aimed at realising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat—a self-reliant India—by building up domestic drug manufacturing capacity, reducing dependence on imports, fostering innovation, and upgrading standards in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

At the heart of this transformation is the Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech Sector (PRIP) scheme, launched with a budget of Rs 5,000 crore. Designed to shift India’s pharmaceutical economy from cost-based to innovation-driven growth, the scheme supports both academia and industry. Seven Centres of Excellence (CoEs) have been established at key pharmaceutical research institutes under the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), with a combined outlay of Rs 700 crore. These centres are working on targeted R&D projects in areas like anti-viral and anti-bacterial drug development, medical devices, phytopharmaceuticals, and biological therapeutics. So far, 104 projects have been approved under PRIP, with two patents already filed.

Of the Rs 5,000 crore allocated under PRIP, Rs 4,250 crore is earmarked to support industry innovation, including for MSMEs and start-ups, especially those working in collaboration with academic institutions. The initiative remains open to applicants from all states and union territories.

Complementing PRIP is the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals, which has already spurred a cumulative investment of Rs 37,306 crore—more than double the committed target of Rs 17,275 crore—within just the first three years of its six-year run. The scheme is designed to bolster the domestic manufacturing of high-value drugs such as biopharmaceuticals, complex generics, patented medicines, and APIs. Products covered under this scheme have already generated cumulative sales of Rs 2,66,528 crore, with Rs 1,70,807 crore in exports.

The PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs, with a budgetary outlay of Rs 6,940 crore, focuses on ensuring steady domestic supply of critical active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and key starting materials (KSMs). By March 2025, investments had reached Rs 4,570 crore—exceeding initial targets—with production capacity created for 25 critical ingredients. These efforts have reportedly helped avoid Rs 1,362 crore in imports.

Meanwhile, the Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks is developing three industrial parks in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh. Backed by Rs 1,000 crore each in central assistance, these parks are being built to offer subsidised infrastructure, from effluent treatment plants to solid waste management facilities. Once completed, these hubs are expected to make India globally competitive in drug production, while offering land and utilities at concessional rates to manufacturers of priority products.

The Strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry (SPI) scheme rounds out the government’s portfolio of pharma reforms. It includes the Assistance to Pharmaceutical Industry for Common Facilities (API-CF) sub-scheme, under which Rs 139.33 crore has been approved for creating shared infrastructure like labs and training centres in pharmaceutical clusters. These facilities are expected to benefit over 1,300 existing units while paving the way for new ones. Another sub-scheme, the Revamped Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (RPTUAS), supports 142 small and medium firms in upgrading to WHO-GMP and revised Schedule M standards, with total sanctioned aid of Rs 135.8 crore.

The cumulative impact of these initiatives has been transformative. India’s drug exports have risen by 92% over the past six years, increasing from Rs 1,28,028 crore in 2018–19 to Rs 2,45,962 crore in 2024–25. At the same time, the government has made clear that MSMEs are integral to this growth story: 13 firms have already been approved under the PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs and 20 under the PLI Scheme for Pharmaceuticals, gaining eligibility for direct production incentives.

As the reforms gain traction, the government is also highlighting the dual impact of the Jan Aushadhi initiative. Beyond the economic savings—estimated at Rs 38,000 crore over the last eleven years—the scheme has become a major source of self-employment, supporting over 16,000 individuals, including 6,800 women entrepreneurs.