Setting an ambitious target of 612 Jan Aushadhi stores by the end of March 2013, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is now revamping the supply chain system by appointing common super stockists in all the States to ensure proper supply of drugs to the stores.

At present the generic stores are sourcing medicines from state-level super stockists of the five Central Pharma Public Sector Units (CPSUs). In the states where such arrangement is not in place, medicines are being directly supplied by the CPSUs.

However, to have a proper supply chain system, it has been decided to appoint common super stockists in all the states in the country. The common super stockists will supplement the existing system of sourcing drugs from the CPSUs for the existing and upcoming stores, sources said.

The move is being initiated in line with the targets set by the Department for expansion of the Jan Aushadhi campaign. In the first phase ending March next, the plan of the DoP is to have at least 612 stores. In the second phase of next five years, the Department wants to set up 3150 stores, which is going to be at least five stores in each district of the country. The 612 stores are expected to have monthly sale of Rs.12 crore per month initially.

However the targets looks very ambitious as only 146 stores could be opened so far since the campaign launched in November, 2008. A few stores opened have also been closed due to poor sales. Rajasthan has the highest number of 53 stores, followed by 21 in Punjab.

As of now, Jan Aushadhi Campaign has its presence in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttrakhand, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and UT of Chandigarh and concerted efforts are on to take the campaign to the remaining States/UT Administrations in the country and several of such states have already expressed their interest to open Jan Aushadhi Generic Drug Stores, sources said.

The common super stockists will now be appointed initially in -Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Mizoram, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Orissa.