With the Department of Pharmaceuticals set to open 3000 Jan Aushadi  stores during the current Five Year Plan Period, serious efforts are on to acquire the right software for streamlining the procurement and monitoring of drugs.

Though the Department was able to open only 157 generic stores so far in the last five years since the campaign was launched in 2008, that too only 93 are currently functioning, it has set an ambitious target of opening 500 stores during the current year itself, if the Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India (BPPI) is to be believed.

“After varied success in last five years and to give a new thrust to Jan Aushadhi Campaign, a new business plan has been worked out. It aims to extend the geographical coverage of the scheme, by opening more than 3000 stores during the 12th Plan Period. It is proposed to channelize efforts to popularize the scheme in a few selected states and ensure availability of the complete basket of medicines at affordable prices,” according to BPPI which runs the programme.

“As proposed in the new business plan, by the end of the current financial year, a minimum of 500 new stores will be opened. The projections for opening of minimum number of stores in the years 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 are 750, 1000 and 750 respectively,” it said.

Accordingly, the Bureau has invited expression of interest from IT companies for development and implementation of software solutions for centralized system for monitoring and complete Procurement Management Information System.

“BPPI is planning to effectively and efficiently leverage the power of information technology by adopting suitable Business Process Reengineering & process automation solutions which could manage the BPPI in an efficient manner. It is expected that by using the IT enabled tools/ application the BPPI can effectively manage the procurement, supply monitoring, quality monitoring and payment systems,” according to the tender notice.

The proposed software will manage various aspects of drug procurement, modules related to indenting, tendering process, receipt and storage at Central Warehouse in Gurgaon, quality control process, payment mechanism, stock monitoring, issues, recalling and freezing, management information system reports etc.