Though running far behind the schedule despite the new business plan and aggressive efforts, the Jan Aushadhi programme will be extended to more states like Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Chhattisgarh.

The Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India (BPPI), which is managing the generic drug store project, has invited tenders from the interested parties to run the Jan Aushadhi programme in these states.

So far, only around 150 Jan Aushadhi stores have been opened, spread over the 12 states, namely, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttrakhand, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, including UT of Chandigarh.

Some time back, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) had invited proposals from the parties/individuals for opening the stores in Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, in a bid to expand the network. It was not yet known, how many people have expressed interest so far.

Though launched in 2008, the project has been on a sluggish path. The Department had set a target of 600 stores by the end of March this year and had drawn up new business plan to infuse fresh blood into the programme.

A pharmacist, Trust or Society including NGO who has the financial capacity to meet initial expenditure of Rs.2 lakh and recurring expenditure and working capital of approximately Rs.2 lakh can apply for the project, according to the revised business plan.

Preference will be given for opening stores at district headquarters. The present pattern of financial assistance -- Rs.2 lakh as establishment cost and Rs.50,000 as one time start-up cost -- to NGOs, institutions or cooperative societies, identified and supported by the state government in terms of providing space, shall continue.

Though the project is going on at a snail's pace at present, the DoP aims to set up 3150 Jan Aushadhi stores by the end of the current Five Year Plan as part of its plan to promote generic drugs in the country.