New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS): The residents of Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh are rejoicing over the opening of two Jan Aushadhi Kendras in their vicinity as they have got access to a wide range of medicines at much cheaper and reasonable prices as compared to the private medical shops.

The Jan Aushadhi Kendras, opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PM-BJP), have not only reduced their dependence on expensive branded medicines but also are helping them save money on their medical bills.

Thousands of people are benefiting from the Jan Aushadhi Kendra. The prices of medicines at these centres are much lower than their private counterparts, which has brought great relief to lower and middle-income-class families.

Sachin Patil, who buys medicines from Jan Aushadhi Kendra, said, "The medicines here are very cheap and of good quality. I have got a lot of relief compared to the expensive medical stores."

Deepika Soni, a regular customer of Jan Aushadhi Kendra also shared her happiness.

"Essential medicines for women and children are always available. This centre is proving to be a boon for our family," she told IANS.

Pharmacist Dinesh Raut said, "We try to give the right medicine and right information to every patient."

Dheeraj Chauhan of the district hospital management said, "The Kendras work with the sole motive of providing affordable and quality medicines to all the patients."

The reason for the cheer on the faces of Burhanpur residents is that one more Kendra is proposed in Shekhapura, to cater to the people of rural regions.

Notably, more than 15,000 centres have been opened across the country under the Jan Aushadhi Scheme so far and the target is to increase it to 25,000 centres. This year, the target for the sale of medicines through these centres is Rs 2,000 crore, of which over Rs 1,500 crore has already been achieved, as per official estimates.