Expressnews
Chennai, January 2023: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah distributed store codes for the operation of Prime Minister’s Bharatiya Jan AushadhiKendras through Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) in five states on Monday. Shah underscored, “Now, affordable and high-quality medicines available at PM Jan AushadhiKendras will reach the impoverished in rural areas through PACS.”
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the adept guidance of Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah, PACS is undergoing a transformative process to become multifunctional. Shah, known for bolstering the cooperative movement, is overseeing the establishment of Jan AushadhiKendras in 2,373 PACS nationwide.
Shah’s visionary step ensures that the benefits of affordable medicines will extend to the rural poor and farmers through PACS. Previously, the urban poor were the primary beneficiaries of Jan AushadhiKendras, mainly situated in urban areas.
Over the past decade, under the Modi government, significant reforms have elevated India’s pharma sector to a global leader. India, sending medicines to the world, stands at a stark contrast of its past when the nation struggled to afford medicines for its population. Amit Shah’s policies are actively working towards streamlining the distribution of generic medicines, reaching over 60 crore underprivileged individuals through the Bharatiya Jan AushadhiKendras.
Healthcare in rural areas has seen considerable improvement under Modi, with a strong focus on cooperative initiatives. Shah believes that the convergence of cooperation and health is a confluence of prosperity and good health. Presently, around 2,300 PACS are distributing affordable medicines in rural areas across states like Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and the North East.
Resolute in his commitment to expanding the reach of Jan AushadhiKendras through PACS, with the Ministry of Cooperation, Shah is actively working to establish 2 lakh new PACS, ensuring their presence in every panchayat.
Under the ambitious healthcare reforms of the past nine years, various schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Ayushman Yojana, PM- Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, National Health Mission, Malaria-Free India, Mission Indradhanush for universal vaccination, TB elimination program, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Janani Suraksha Yojana, National Mental Health Program, Fit India, Khelo India, and the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program have been implemented.
Today, with more than 10,000 Jan AushadhiKendras, offering over 2,260 medicines, the Home Minister’s relentless efforts are ensuring that cooperative initiatives uplift even the poorest of the poor. Shah’s dedication to realising Prime Minister Modi’s dream of prosperity through cooperation is poised to eradicate the shadow of poverty from the nation in the coming years.
