To ensure easy accessibility of quality and affordable medicines to common man, Indian Railways will soon open generic medicine stores, or Janaushadhi Kendras, at stations and other Railways establishments.

An “in-principle decision” in this regard was arrived at after a meeting beween Minister for Chemicals & Fertilisers and Parliamentary Affairs Ananthkumar and Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu recently.

The decison is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making affordable and quality medicines accessible to all citizens of the country under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

Currently more than 1,600 such stores are operating in over 450 districts across India. The modalities of the project will be worked out by senior officials of the Ministry for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Ministry of Railways.

India is a global leader in generic medicines, which are equivalent to branded products in dosage, strength, quality and performance, and are available at affordable costs.

As cost of medicine forms a considerable proportion of out-of-pocket healthcare expense of common man, the government had recently asked doctors to prescribe medicines by their generic names.