Come June 1, Jammu and Kashmir Government would be introducing ‘Free Drug policy’—distribution of medicines free-of cost through health centres in the State. Though health care is one of the priority sectors among the nine pillars earmarked by the government in the present budget, the ailing sector nation-wide in general and the states in particular is pathetic. The Union Government proposes to provide affordable medicines by setting up 3,000 Jan Aushadhi outlets. Jammu and Kashmir has two outlets in Jammu and Srinagar to provide generic medicines by cutting profit margins to general public otherwise the much acclaimed scheme in the State has remained a non-starter. On the contrary the ‘doctor-chemist’ nexus cultivated by the big pharmaceutical companies has become much strong and prosperous. Under the ‘Free Drug Policy’, the Centre would contribute 33 per cent cost of the drugs while rest 67 per cent will be borne by the State Government. The mush-room growth of chemist outlets and the doctor-pharma company nexus in the State would not allow the such a progressive scheme to extend benefits to the needy. Under such circumstances how is it possible to provide better healthcare for common man? Now the budget also proposed a National Dialysis Programme to be rolled through private-public participation or popularly known as PPP mode to make medical treatment more accessible to the people. The programme also allows duty-free import of dialysis equipment which could lower treatment cost. Over two lakh renal patients are added every year in the country and the distribution of the health facilities are skewed. The proposed mission envisages to provide affordable and reachable dialysis facilities up to district hospital level. Given the state of health care facilities and services in J and K the future of such a proposal can be explained in one word ‘pathetic’. The ‘Free Drug’ scheme is prevalent in other states already and with meeting June 1 deadline Jammu and Kashmir would be the last state to adopt such healthcare policy for common man.