Leading retail pharmacy chain Guardian Lifecare has announced to pump in Rs 100 crore to boost its expansion plans of opening 150 new stores across the country, a top company official disclosed.

``We intend to make a foray into the Western India market. By the end of March 2009, we would have also added another 150 stores across India. At present, we are growing at the rate of almost two new stores every week. Our employee strength too shall double in a year's time", company chairman and managing director Ashutosh Garg said in a statement here.

"Our stores are based on four models--high street stores, mall stores, hospital stores and personal stores. We also have a rural and semi-urban format under the brand name Aushadhi," he added.

Guardian is a leading healthcare and wellness chain with 106 stores in 6 states and 13 cities.