PIB Summary- 6th October, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)

Context: Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) achieves the target of FY 2021-22 in just 6 months.

Details

• The Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI), the implementing agency of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) has completed the target of opening 8,300 PM Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) for the FY 2021-22 before end of September 2021.
• All the districts of the country have been covered under PMBJP.
• Effective IT-enabled logistics and supply chain systems for ensuring real-time distribution of medicines at all outlets have also been introduced.
• The government has set a target to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) to 10,000 by March 2024.

What is PMBJP?

• In November 2008, with an objective to make available generic medicines at affordable prices to all, the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers launched the “Jan Aushadhi Scheme”.
• To reinvigorate the supply of affordable generic medicines with efficacy and quality equivalent to that of branded drugs, the scheme was revamped as “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Yojana” in 2015.
• To provide further momentum to the ongoing scheme, it was again renamed as “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana” (PMBJP).

Why is Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana in the news?

1. Jan Aushadhi Sugam Mobile App was launched to help people located the Jan Aushadhi Kendra nearest to them. As per the government figures, 0.325 million people are using the application to avail the affordable generic medicines.
   • The application has been developed by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs in India (BPPI)
   • It is available on both Android and iPhone.
2. In the crisis of COVID-19 pandemic, Jan Aushadhi Kendras-associated Swatha Ke Siphai (Pharmacists) have started delivering quality generic medicines at the doorsteps of the elderly people.
3. This move has been appreciated by many as this promotes the concept of social distancing in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

What are Jan Aushadi Kendras?
Bureau of Pharma PSUs in India (BPPI) are running Jan Aushadhi Kendras as a part of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana. These are the centers from where quality generic medicines are made available to all. 726 districts of the country have Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
The turnover of Janaushadhi Kendras in the country touched around ₹600 crores during 2020-21. The number of kendras stood at 7,500 now. The product basket of the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana(PMBJP) has evolved from a mere 131 products in 2014 to 1,449 medicines and 204 surgical items.

What is the role of BPPI in PMBJP?
The Department of Pharmaceuticals of Government of India has established a Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India to support the CPSUs to coordinate the sales, marketing, supply and procurement of the generic medicines. These medicines are distributed to healthcare seekers through Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras.
The Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) was appraised for ensuring the supply of medicines and other pharma products like masks to people at affordable rates during Covid-19.

PMBJP Objectives

The scheme aims at educating the masses about generic medicines and that high prices are not always synonymous with high quality. It intends to cover all therapeutic groups and create demand for generic medicines through medical practitioners.

PMBJP Features

• Under PMBJP, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) are set up across the country so as to reduce the out of pocket expenses for health care.
• The Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals is involved in coordinating, procuring, supplying and marketing generic medicines through PMBJK.
• The procured generic medicines are sold at 50% to 90% lesser prices as compared to the market prices of branded medicines.
• All drugs procured under this scheme are tested for quality assurance at NABL (National Accreditation Board Laboratories) accredited laboratories and is compliant with WHO GMP (World Health Organisation’s Good Manufacturing Practices) benchmarks. Government grants of up to 2.5 Lakhs are provided for setting up of PMBJKs.
• They can be set up by doctors, pharmacists, entrepreneurs, Self Help Groups, NGOs, Charitable Societies, etc. at any suitable place or outside the hospital premises.
• The railway ministry has given in-principle approval to opening up of Jan Aushadi Kendras at railway stations and other railway establishments under PMBJP. This is a significant move, as the access to generic medicines on railway stations would boost the accessibility, affordability of essential medicines and improve the convenience for the customers.

What are Generic Medicines?
Generic medicines are unbranded medicines that are equally safe and have the same efficacy as that a branded medicines in terms of their therapeutic value. The prices of generic medicines are much cheaper than their branded equivalent.

Outreach of generic medicines –

• With developments like more and more doctors prescribing generic medicines and the opening of over 6600 Janaushadhi stores across 652 districts, awareness and availability of high-quality affordable generic medicines have increased in the country. About 10-15 lakh people benefit from Janaushadhi medicines per day and the market share of generic medicines has grown over threefold from 2% to 7%in the last 3 years.
• The Janaushadhi medicines have played a big role in bringing down the out-of-pocket expenditure of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases in India. The PMBJP scheme has led to total savings of approximately Rs.1000 crores for common citizens, as these medicines are cheaper by 50% to 90% of the average market price.
• The PMBJP is also providing a good source of self-employment with self-sustainable and regular earnings.

• Jan Aushadi Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins
  • Janaushadhi Kendras which sold sanitary napkins earlier for ₹2.50, has now further reduced it to ₹1 by adapting this technology.
  • These sanitary pads will be able to biodegrade after they have been discarded as soon as they come in contact with oxygen.
  • A very large number of women and girls suffer as good quality sanitary pads are not available at an affordable cost. This is mostly seen in village areas and other underprivileged areas of the country.

Jan Aushadi Sugam Application

The PMBJP launched a mobile application in order to help people locate the Janaushadhi Kendras in the areas around them.
Since smartphones are seen accessible to all the groups of the society, the PMBJP aims to promote their affordable healthcare scheme through available technology. Affordable healthcare seeker can easily find these PMBJK and get generic medicines at a substantially low cost compared to that of the branded OTC (over-the-counter) ones.

Mine Closure

Context: Coal Ministry envisages repurposing of Closed Mine Sites with focus on Socio-Economic Aspects.

What’s in the news?

• The Ministry of Coal is in the process of finalising a robust mine closure framework with thrust on the three major aspects of institutional governance, people & communities and environmental reclamation & land repurposing on the principles of just transition.
• The Ministry is in consultation with the World Bank for obtaining support and assistance in this program since the World Bank’s vast experience in handling mine closure cases in different countries will be highly beneficial.

Background

• The Indian coal sector is relatively new to the concept of systematic mine closure.
• Mine closure guidelines were first introduced in 2009, re-issued in 2013 and are still evolving.
• As coal mining in India had started long back, our coalfields are replete with several legacy mines remaining unused for long.
• In addition, mines are closing and will close in future also due to reasons such as exhaustion of reserves, adverse geo-mining conditions, safety issues, etc.
• These mine sites should not only be made safe and environmentally stable but the continuity of livelihood should also be ensured for those who were directly or indirectly dependent on the mines.
• Reclaimed lands will also be repurposed for economic use of the community and state including tourism, sports, forestry, agriculture, horticulture, townships, etc.

Mine closure framework

• The entire exercise will occur in two phases.
• Phase 1:
  • This involves a comprehensive mapping of the Indian coal ecosystem to establish a detailed baseline in respect of current and pending coal mine closures.
  • This involves mapping the readiness and capacities of institutions, existing closure processes, socio-economic status around coal mines and environmental baseline.
  • Phase 1 is expected to result in reforms to the existing statutory and institutional framework, and also generate a roadmap for mine closure including the financial arrangement.
  • Phase 1 is expected to start soon and will continue for 10 – 12 months.
• Phase 2:
  • This involves the actual implementation of the mine closure and will comprise –
    • Pre-closure Planning
    • Early Closure
    • Roadmap for Regional Transition
  • A Special Purpose Entity (SPE) under the administrative control of the Coal Controller Office is to be constituted to oversee the implementation of both the phases.
  • Coal Companies are to form dedicated multi-disciplinary teams to coordinate with SPE for the successful execution of the program.

Central Asian Flyway

Context: Two day meeting of 30 range countries of Central Asian Flyway (CAF).

What is the Central Asian Flyway?

• The Central Asian Flyway (CAF) covers a large continental area of Eurasia between the Arctic and Indian Oceans and the associated island chains.
• The Flyway comprises several important migration routes of waterbirds, most of which extend from the northernmost breeding grounds in the Russian Federation (Siberia) to the southernmost non-breeding (wintering) grounds in West and South Asia, the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory.
• The birds on their annual migration cross the borders of several countries. Geographically the flyway region covers 30 countries of North, Central and South Asia and Trans-Caucasus. India is a range country.
• The CAF covers at least 279 populations of 182 migratory waterbird species, including 29 globally threatened and near-threatened species, which breed, migrate and winter within the region.
• The Central Asian Flyway is the shortest flyway in the world. There are eight other flyways in the world.
• Most birds ‘squeeze’ into the Indian subcontinent via routes at the two ends of the Tibetan massif.