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Time of India

MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur slams Karnataka govt over closure of Janaushadhi centres in hospitals

MANGALURU: MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur has criticised the Karnataka government's decision to shut down Janaushadhi centres in government hospitals, calling the move 'an assault on the common man'. Speaking to reporters, Puttur said the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Yojana , a flagship initiative of the Union Government , had enabled access to affordable, high-quality generic medicines for millions of economically weaker patients across India. 'There are countless cases where people were forced to skip treatment because they couldn't afford expensive medication. Janaushadhi centres helped bridge this gap by providing essential medicines at minimal cost,' he said. The legislator questioned whether government hospitals currently had 100% availability of essential drugs. 'If not, how can we justify removing a scheme that acts as a crucial support system?' he asked. Calling the decision politically motivated, Puttur said the scheme had become a source of national pride and helped lakhs of people. He accused the state government of acting irresponsibly and demanded the immediate restoration of the centres. 'The right to affordable healthcare should not be denied to the poor. Instead of shutting down these centres, the state should cooperate with the Centre in opening more,' he added. The Janaushadhi Yojana was launched in 2008 and expanded in recent years, with centres operating across the country to offer low-cost medicines as an alternative to branded drugs. The state government has yet to issue an official response to the criticism.