As an effort to strengthen supply chain in southern India, Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) has established a regional warehouse at Gummidipoondi, Tiruvallur district on Thursday.
The warehouse was inaugurated under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana scheme to provide generic medicines at affordable prices.
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers V. Sadananda Gowda inaugurated the warehouse, spread over 65,000 sq.ft., which has modern amenities for storage and distribution. The aim was to reduce the cost of health care.
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He said there are nearly 5,500 Jan Aushadhi kendras in 684 districts across the country. The total sales had crossed ₹315.70 crore this fiscal as the medicines are cheaper by 50-90% than the average market price. About 900 drugs and 154 surgical and consumables available for sale at the stores. The scheme also provided self-employment opportunities.
The BPPI, which is a society set up under Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, has three warehouses in Gurugram, Bengaluru and Guwahati and the one in Gummidipoondi was WHO- Good Distribution Practice compliance, a press release said.