The total sale of medicines by stockists/dealers to retailers in India stood at over Rs 1.40 lakh crore during the April-December period, Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply to a query, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya laid a statement on the table of the Upper House stating no separate data is, however, maintained regarding consumption of generic medicines in the country.

During the April-December 2022 period, the total sales of medicines by stockists or dealers to retailers was at Rs 1,40,865.31 crore. In 2021-2022, it was at Rs 1,69,234.82 crore while the same stood at Rs 1,47,586.41 crore in 2020-2021, as per the statement.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals has taken various steps for increasing the production of drugs in the country and encourage domestic manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs, including PLI scheme for manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates (DIs)/ Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) with an outlay of Rs 6,940 crore and PLI scheme for pharmaceuticals with an outlay of Rs 15,000 crore, it added.

“Under the PLI scheme for pharmaceuticals, 20 out of 55 selected applicants are MSMEs. The formulations manufactured by these applicants mostly fall under off-patent generic drugs,” the statement said.

In response to another query, the minister said proposals of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh were selected in October-November 2022 for setting up of three bulk drug parks under the Rs 3,000-crore scheme for promotion of bulk drug parks in India. The tenure of the scheme is from 2020-21 to 2024-25.

Mandaviya, responding to another query, said as on January 31, 2023, about 9,082 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs), which provide quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all citizens, have been opened across the country.

The product basket of PMBJK presently comprises 1,759 medicines and 280 surgicals covering all major therapeutic groups such as cardiovascular, anti-cancers, anti-diabetics, anti-infection, anti-allergic, gastro-intestinal medicines and nutraceuticals, he added.