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 The Karnataka Pharma Retailers & Distributors Organization (KPRDO) has sought key policy interventions while formulating the state government budget for the financial year 2026-27, which will be presented on March 6. These include financial support and welfare schemes for pharmacists.
In his communication to the Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, C Jayaram, president, KPRDO said that in Karnataka more than 45,000 pharma retailers and distributors, besides over 80,000 registered pharmacists are depending on this profession for their livelihood, while upholding ethical trade practices and safeguarding public health.
In the changing scenario, due to the entry of unauthorized online portals illegally selling lifesaving medicines on the internet, along with quick-delivery apps and social media platforms, the public is being attracted through misleading advertisements and abnormal discount boards. Unfortunately, this has led to increasing adverse impacts on public health day by day, he added.
As a result, the existence of traditional pharmaceutical traders is in danger. Due to this situation, traditional chemists are facing the threat of losing their very existence. Pharmacists and standalone medical stores are the backbone of primary healthcare service across Karnataka, particularly in rural, semi-urban, and underserved areas, said Jayaram.
To enhance medicine accessibility, improve service quality, and ensure sustainable pharmacy, there is a need for the state government to consider capital subsidies and provision of financial aid, low-interest loans for small and medium-scale chemist shops. This will help in their sustainability and expansion, ensuring uninterrupted medicine supply across urban and rural areas, said Jayaram.
He also pressed the need for performance-linked grants for quality compliance and essential medicine availability and rationalization of taxes on essential medicines. Also the creation of a dedicated Pharmacist Welfare Fund is imperative. These initiatives will enhance job security, social security, and overall well-being, encouraging more professionals to join and sustain in this field.
We request the state government to ban online sale of medicines through e-commerce platforms leading to significant loss of GST revenue to Karnataka. The illegal online sale of medicines has led to widespread cross-purchasing from other states and selling directly to the consumers/doctors and unregistered institutions, resulting in substantial GST revenue loss for Karnataka government, he said.
Further, Jayaram also pointed out that KPRDO had requested the State Food Safety & Drug Administration (FDA) and Karnataka State Pharmacy Council (KSPC) to jointly start a program to identify pharmacists who have made outstanding achievements and to award them on the occasion of World Pharmacists Day observed annually on September 25.
Also there is need for an official recognition of pharmacists as essential healthcare providers. The state government should mandate their inclusion in public health initiatives, preventive screening programs, and emergency health response systems. The qualified and registered pharmacists need to be part of the Professional Development, State-sponsored Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes, Skill training in chronic disease counselling, vaccination awareness and digital pharmacy management. Also there is need for internship support for pharmacy graduates in rural areas, he said.
From an economic l point of view, Jayaram highlighted that pharmacy store owners obtain licenses from the FDA department, pay Rs. 3,000 retention fee periodically and professional taxes to the government annually. These overlapping charges create a system of 'multi-point taxation' that complicates the ease of doing business for small and large pharmacies alike, he pointed out.
On a concluding note the KPRDO president said, “By implementing these measures, the government will significantly contribute to the upliftment of standalone chemists, ensuring they receive the recognition and support they deserve.”
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