The eighth Janaushadhi Diwas was celebrated in New Delhi on 7 March 2026 with the felicitation of top performing Janaushadhi Kendra owners from across the country for their contribution to expanding access to affordable medicines.
The event was attended by Jagat Prakash Nadda, Anupriya Patel and Manoj Joshi, along with beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana and representatives of Janaushadhi Kendras from several states. The programme highlighted the growing impact of the scheme in reducing the cost of medicines and strengthening affordable healthcare access for citizens.
During the ceremony, 13 outstanding Janaushadhi Kendra owners from different states were honoured for their role in promoting the scheme and ensuring the availability of quality generic medicines at affordable prices. Among the awardees were three Kendra operators from Delhi who were recognised for their consistent service and outreach activities.
Several award recipients shared their experiences of operating Janaushadhi Kendras and spoke about the role of the initiative in improving healthcare accessibility for communities.
Ruksana Najeeb from Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir described her efforts to promote awareness about generic medicines through outreach programmes and awareness camps. She highlighted the importance of educating the public about affordable treatment options and strengthening the supply chain to maintain uninterrupted availability of medicines.
Jyoti Banerjee from Kolkata in West Bengal spoke about his motivation to join the initiative and the positive impact it has had in enabling citizens to purchase quality medicines at significantly reduced prices. He said the scheme has made healthcare more accessible to people from different economic backgrounds.
Anita Ramesh from Chennai in Tamil Nadu shared that she established her Janaushadhi Kendra during the COVID 19 pandemic when access to medicines was a major concern. She noted that the scheme played an important role in helping people obtain affordable medicines during the crisis. She also said that home delivery services have been introduced at her centre to assist patients and families who require medicines but cannot visit the store.
Meena from Delhi said she started her Janaushadhi Kendra during the pandemic and has been successfully operating it for the past five years. She said the appreciation and blessings received from beneficiaries provide strong motivation to continue serving the community.
Kendra operators emphasised that the scheme has not only improved access to affordable medicines but has also generated employment opportunities for many people. They noted that citizens are able to achieve substantial savings on medical expenses by purchasing medicines through the Janaushadhi network.
Some Kendra operators suggested expanding the product range under the scheme and establishing a dedicated grievance portal to address operational challenges faced by Janaushadhi Kendra owners.
Other Janaushadhi Kendra operators who were honoured during the programme included Arun Kumar, Ranjan Kumar from Patna in Bihar, Sudhanya Gupta from Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir, Raj Kumar Verma from Uttar Pradesh, Sinam Pritam Singh from Manipur, AIIMS Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, HLL Life Care Ltd in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Ram Iqbal Singh from South Delhi and Dewanshu Monga from Central Delhi.
During the programme Jagat Prakash Nadda also interacted with beneficiaries of the scheme. Beneficiaries shared their experiences and explained how the availability of affordable medicines through Janaushadhi Kendras has significantly reduced their healthcare expenses and provided relief to families across the country.
The event highlighted the expanding reach of the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making affordable healthcare accessible to every citizen through a growing nationwide network of Janaushadhi Kendras.
