Shastri Bhawan being razed, Capital’s first Jan Aushadhi Kendra has nowhere to go

In the heart of the Capital, Shastri Bhawan houses the government's generic drug store, Jan Aushadhi Kendra. The one-room store, established in 2009, stocks basic medicines like cough syrups, paracetamol, diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension and allergy medication. Initially funded by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, employees work at the store, which offers affordable medicine rates to employees from nearby construction sites and ministries.

The store, one of the earliest Jan Aushadhi Kendras, opened its doors under the leadership of then Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Ram Vilas Paswan. However, as part of the Central Vista redevelopment plan, Shastri Bhawan is set for demolition and no alternate space has been allocated for Jan Aushadhi Kendra. This poses a challenge as there is no other store in the vicinity, with the nearest one located in Gole Market near RML Hospital.

There are currently over 19,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country, with at least one in each district. Despite being government-run and procuring medicines centrally, these stores offer medicines at significantly lower prices compared to their branded counterparts in the open market. The store at Shastri Bhawan previously paid a nominal rent of ₹1 per month, but the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers is currently seeking an alternate space from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to ensure uninterrupted service.