Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah informed the Rajya Sabha that 4,470 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) from 33 states and Union Territories have applied to establish Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
Out of these, 2,705 PACS received initial approval from the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), and 684 PACS have been issued store codes to commence operations.
The highest applications came from Uttar Pradesh (880), followed by Maharashtra (430) and Madhya Pradesh (313).
The scheme, under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, incentivizes Kendra owners with 20% of monthly purchases from PMBI (up to ?20,000/month) and a 20% margin on the MRP (excluding taxes) of each drug sold.
This initiative aims to empower PACS and provide affordable medicines to rural areas, supporting the government’s vision to strengthen cooperatives and ensure quality healthcare access.