JAN ASUSHADHI KENDRA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Scheme)

Context: Recently, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, addressed the program in New Delhi, overseeing the distribution of store codes for the operation of Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra to PACS in five states.

Jan Aushadhi Kendra

• Establishment of PMBKs: Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, PMBKs were established, with the initiative launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in November 2008.
• Objective: To provide quality medicines at affordable prices for all, with a particular focus on reducing out-of-pocket expenses in healthcare, especially for the economically disadvantaged.
• Generic Drugs at Lower Prices: PMBKs offer generic drugs that are available at lower prices while maintaining an equivalent standard in terms of quality and efficacy compared to more expensive branded drugs.
• Availability of Medicines: All therapeutic medicines are made accessible through Jan Aushadhi Stores, ensuring a wide range of medicines for various medical needs.
• Target: Jan Aushadhi Kendras to 10,000 by March 2024.

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)

• About: PACS is a basic unit and smallest cooperative credit institution in India.
• Objective: It provides short-term, and medium-term agricultural loans to the farmers for the various agricultural and farming activities. It works at the grassroots gram Panchayat and village level. The PACS functions at the base of the co-operative banking system and constitute the major retail outlets of short term and medium-term credit to the rural sector.
• The first PcooperativeACS was formed: In the year 1904.
• Registered under: The Co-operative Societies Act and also regulated by the RBI. They are governed by the “Banking regulation Act-1949” and Banking Laws (Co-operative Societies) Act 1965.