The move aims at enhancing the wellness and welfare of rail commuters visiting railway stations.
Indian Railways has been consistently upgrading its facilities and amenities at railway stations across the country. Now, the national transporter has decided to set up Pradhan Mantri Jan Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) at selected railway stations across the country. The move aims at enhancing the wellness and welfare of rail commuters visiting railway stations. This will also meet the requirements of millions of daily visitors and passengers as they will easily purchase the medicines from the station itself.
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What is Pradhan Mantri Jan Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras?
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) has been launched by the Government of India to provide quality medicines and consumables (Janausadhi products) to all at an affordable price.
Significance of PMBJKs stalls at railway stations:-
The PMBJKs stalls at railway stations will enable the commuters or visitors at railway stations to easily access Jan Aushadhi products. This will lead to well-being of common people as well as help in creation of employment opportunities for youth. This will also generate avenues for entrepreneurs for opening PMBJKs.
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List of railway stations selected for PMBJKs:-
The PMBJKs stalls will be set up in circulating areas and concourses of station premises so that both incoming and outgoing passengers are benefited. As of now, the national transporter has identified 50 stations for this pilot project. These are –
Tirupati, New Tinsukia, Lumding, Rangiya, Darbhanga, Patna, Katihar, Janjgir-Naila, Bagbahara, Anand Vihar, Ankleshwar, Mahesana Junction, Sini Junction, Srinagar, SMVT Bengaluru, Bangarapet, Mysore, Hubballi Junction, Palakkad, Pendra road, Ratlam, Madan Mahal, Bina, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Manmad, Pimpri, Solapur, Nainpur, Nagbhir, Malad, Khurda Road, Phagwara, Rajpura, Sawai Madhopur, Bhagat Ki Kothi, Tiruchchirappalli Junction, Erode, Dindigul Junction, Secunderabad, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Virangana Lakshmibai, Lucknow Junction, Gorakhpur Junction, Banaras, Agra Cantt, Mathura, Yog Nagari Rishikesh, Kashipur, Malda Town and Kharagpur.
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Operation of PMBJKs at railway stations:-
The PMBJKs will be operated by Licensees on commercial lines identified by Railway Divisions. The stalls will be provided by E-auctioning as with respective Divisions through IREPS. These stalls will be designed by NID Ahmedabad.
Contract of setting up PMBJKs at stations:-
The successful bidders of PMBJK outlets have to procure necessary permissions and licenses to run a drug store and comply with all statutory requirements for storage of drugs. They have to enter into an agreement with the nodal agency for PMBJK, i.e., Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), and its authorized distributors for Janaushadhi Scheme (as mandated by PMBI) before commencing operations.
