![JPDA Jammu Province president Rakesh Gupta addressing a press conference at Jammu. -Excelsior/Rakesh JPDA Jammu Province president Rakesh Gupta addressing a press conference at Jammu. -Excelsior/Rakesh](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/page9-5-8.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 14: Jammu Pharmaceutical Distributors Association (JPDA) Jammu Province has expressed concern over the opening up of medical stores by multi brand chains in Jammu region, saying these multi brand medical stores will gobble business of small stockists, chemists and pharmacists in Jammu region, thus making their survival difficult.
Addressing a press conference here today, president of JPDA Jammu province Rakesh Gupta claimed that with the coming up of these big giants, more than 10 lakh people associated with pharma business across India will lose their jobs and will be on streets with begging bowl. Gupta asked traders and industrialists to wake up from deep slumber and do something to counter this storm, before it wipes them out.
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“With the opening of many more multi brand stores in Jammu, our survival in market will get difficult. Local traders and industrialists will have a real tough time to cope with price war that has started. Ultimately they will crumble under pressure and will be left with no option but to down their shutters,” Gupta added.
Gupta also lashed out at Government for turning blind eye to violation of norms by Jan Aushadhi Kendras opened inside various hospitals by selling generic medicines with discount advertisements in their premises.
The JPDA president appealed Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, to assign task to someone from the UT Administration to convene an urgent meeting of all the stake holders from trade and industry and guide them how to survive under such unfavourable circumstances.
He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the concerned departments to work on reducing MRP’s further/ensure One Sourcing Price Policy and then allow medical stores of Multi Brand Chain so that they don’t lure with heavy discounts in the field of health care.
Also present on the occasion were Ajay Gupta (senior vice-president), Sudesh Gupta (vice president), Sanjay Gupta (general secretary), Amit Sharma, joint secretary and Manmeet Singh (treasurer).