New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS): Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) has achieved the landmark of selling medicines worth Rs 1,000 crore at affordable prices this year, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers said on Wednesday.

This number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the country has now gone up to 10,000 from only 80 in 2014 and they have helped people to save Rs 5,000 crore in purchasing medicines, according to an official statement.

The Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech this year announced the target of opening 25,000 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) across the country.

He had virtually launched the 10,000th Kendra at AIIMS, Deoghar in Jharkhand on November 30.

The government aims to achieve the goal by March 2026 and online applications have been called for opening of new Janaushadhi Kendras across all districts of the nation through the official website of PMBI, i.e.; - www.janaushadhi.gov.in

The product basket of PMBJP comprises 1,963 medicines and 293 surgical devices covering all major therapeutic groups such as cardiovascular, anti-cancers, anti-diabetics, anti-infectives, anti-allergic, gastro-intestinal medicines, nutraceuticals, etc.

There are five warehouses in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Chennai, Guwahati and Surat.

These are backed by SAP based inventory management system.

Further, 36 distributors are functional across the country to support the supply of medicines to remote and rural areas. PMBJP has further added a number of Ayurvedic products in its product basket for immunity boosting and it is easily available at affordable prices for people.