Indian Railways has unveiled plans to establish over 100 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) across railway stations nationwide.
This strategic initiative underscores the government’s commitment to bolstering healthcare infrastructure and ensuring affordability and quality in medication procurement. Commencing its journey towards this transformative endeavour in August 2023, Indian Railways embarked on a pilot project, selecting 50 stations as the initial phase, with operations commencing in March this year. As part of this expansion drive, an additional 61 PMBJKs are slated for allocation, each requiring an investment of Rs 12.53 lakh, featuring prefabricated structures strategically positioned within railway stations. According to Business Today, a senior railway official mentioned, “We’re allocating an additional 61 PMBJKs across the country, each costing Rs 12.53 lakh, with pre-fabrication structures.”
Speaking on this paradigm-shifting initiative, a senior railway official highlighted the pivotal role of PMBJKs as vital passenger amenities, promising seamless access to Janaushadhi products while concurrently fostering wellness and generating employment opportunities. By leveraging the extensive reach and infrastructure of the Indian Railways network, the PMBJK scheme is poised to cater to the burgeoning medical needs of millions of daily commuters, positioning railway stations as focal points for healthcare provisioning. The provision of fabricated outlets in convenient locations within stations is anticipated to cater to the holistic healthcare requirements of both incoming and outgoing passengers. This visionary undertaking not only reinforces Indian Railways’ commitment to passenger welfare but also epitomises a strategic convergence of public health and transportation infrastructure, heralding a new era of accessible and affordable healthcare services for all.
