Maximum Retail Prices of Jan Aushadhi medicines are about 50 pc to 80 pc cheaper than those of leading ‘Branded’ medicines

• Why there are not even 20000 Jan Aushadhi Shops in India, a country of over 650000 villages when the JA medicines are costing so less?
• What is difference between Generic Medicines and Branded Generic Medicines?

Daya Sagar
As per a PIB press release of 13th FEB 2026 5:28 PM based on reply given by Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Anupriya Patel, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 13-02-2026 under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) , a total of 17,990 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have been opened across the country as on 31.12.2025 and the Government has set a target to open 25,000 JAKs by March 2027. The product basket consists of 2,110 medicines and 315 medical devices and consumables and it covers major therapeutic groups including cardiovascular disease, oncology, anti-diabetic, anti-infectives, anti-allergic and gastro-intestinal medicines.

The reply has also said that The maximum retail prices (MRP) of Jan Aushadhi medicines are about 50% to 80% cheaper than those of leading ‘branded’ medicines.For medicines included in the National list of essential medicines ( NLEM) list, the prices are fixed at a rate which is at least 50% lesser than the ceiling price& for medicines not listed under NLEM, the prices are fixed at a rate which is at least 50% lesser than average MRP of the top 3 leading brands of the equivalent product available in the market. Before that also a press release of Press Information Bureau of 06 JAN 2026 05:02 had said that PM Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) Implemented through Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) had opened 17,610 Jan Aushadhi Kenderas ( registering sales of Rs.1409.32 Cr ) holding a product basket of 2110 medicines, 315 medical devices & consumables covering 29 therapeutic groups such as Anti-infectives, Anti-diabetics, Cardiovascular, Anti-cancers, Gastro-intestinal medicines, etc. where Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Sanitary Napkins at ?1/- per pad are also made available through JAKs (over 96.30 crore Suvidha Sanitary Pads had been sold by then and out of this, over 17.90 crore were sold in 2025). The same press release had also said that as on 31-03-2025 there were 15403 JAKs and the turn over on MRP base was Rs. 2022.47 Cr( the figure given needed rechecking )which led to savings of approximately Rs 8000 crore to the citizens and in 2025-26, till 30.11.2025, PMBI had made sales of Rs 1409.32 crore, which had led to savings of approximately Rs 5637 crore to the citizens. The report also said that distributor network had increased from 36 distributors to 39 distributors.The element of the press release that would have attracted the immediate attention of common man would surely have been where it said <” in 2025-26, till 30.11.2025, PMBI had made sales of Rs 1409.32 crore, which had led to savings of approximately Rs 5637 crore to the citizens.” ” The maximum retail prices (MRP) of Jan Aushadhi medicines are about 50% to 80% cheaper than those of leading ‘branded’ medicines.”>. A direct saving in pocket expenses to common masses of India in just 8 months worth Rs.5637/= in terms of buying medicines from Jan Aushadhi Kendera for just Rs1409.32 which otherwise would have cost around Rs.7046.32 Cr, surely worth taking note. Before taking the subject further let have a brief on the “Jan Aushadhi” Kenderas , branded generic medicines/ generic medicines, why not are there even 20000 Jan Aushadhi Kenderas in a country of over 650000 villages when the JA medicines are costing so less in comparison to private pharma companies, how savings have been possible, could the savings be more & like.
What are branded generic medicines? Who can manufacture these medicines? : Branded generics are off-patent (generic) drugs marketed under a brand name by the manufacturer, rather than just the chemical (generic) name. They are copies of original patented drugs after patent expiry, with the same active ingredients, but sold with branding, marketing, and sometimes perceived added value (e.g., trust or packaging). This differs from “unbranded” or “pure” generics sold only by chemical name. Any pharmaceutical company can manufacture them once the original patent expires, provided they meet regulatory standards (e.g., bioequivalence, quality via FDA or equivalent). In India, many domestic firms specialize in this.
(Source: Various pharma resources, e.g., definitions from FDA-aligned explanations and industry analyses.) India is largest manufacturer of branded generic Allopathic medicines.
What percentage of the manufactured medicines in India is of branded generic medicines on the basis of quantity and value? :
India dominates branded generics, especially in its domestic market (Indian Pharmaceutical Market). Branded generics account forabout 85-87% (2023 data), with pure generics ~10% and patented/innovator drugs ~3%( these figures have been collected from private sources by averaging for idea sake and may not be much different (any one has some official data may kindly provide so as to make reference more direct).Most of India pharma industry on the overall ( 95 -97 %) focuses on generics market ( patent free ) but specific volume split for branded vs. unbranded could not be found but branded generics dominate the Indian domestic retail market (India produces ~60,000 generic brands across categories, with branded generics central to domestic sales). India is largest exporter of medicines and most of the medicines that are exported are generic3 & are exported without brand name (off-patent)like the US (may be app 35% of exports)where over 95% may be generics (mostly unbranded for US, but India’s exports also include branded generics for some other markets). Most of the pharma companies for private trade manufacture branded generic , and very less pharma companies market / manufacture generic patent free medicines without brand name excluding some companies who have also started manufacturing medicines by generic name but that too mostly for PMDBI ( Jan Aushadhi Kenderas) and many more private pharma companies would have gone for doing that if not for marketing under their own name labelled with genuinely fair MRP tags atleast for supplying to the PMDBI for sales through Jan Aushadhi Kendras had those responsible for promoting & marketing Jan Aushadhi medicines and enforcing prescription writing by generic name ( atleast by government doctors , both serving & retired ) worked truthfully since 2008 November when the Jan Aushadhi scheme was conceived by the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers Government of India . Even whatever ‘small’ part of market so far has been captured by JA medicines ( launched in 2008) too has been only after 2015 and that too only with the efforts of Sh. Narendra Modi PM of India.
To be continued
(The writer is Sr Journalist, social activist and analyst J&K affairs)