Goods and Services Tax in Maharashtra: A mobile app to help you know the right prices of medicines

Mumbai city news: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) ‘Pharma Sahi Daam,’ provides a list of medicines according to ailments and the change in prices

A new mobile application can help you check if you are paying more than the authorised prices for your medicines after the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) .

Apart from tracking the percentage of change in the cost of medicines, people can also register a complaint in case of (HT)

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) ‘Pharma Sahi Daam,’ provides a list of medicines according to ailments and the change in prices. Apart from tracking the percentage of change in the cost of medicines, people can also register a complaint in case of non-availability of medicines. Sources said the move was a result of chances of artificial shortage created by pharmacists, in protest against GST. “The app, developed by NPPA, provides information on the prices of scheduled medicines that are under price regulation as well as non-scheduled medicines. It also provides information about the nearest chemists and has a list of Jan-Aushadhi stores nearby,” said a health ministry official.

“Prices of approximately 78% of all actively used and traded drugs in the country are going to remain unaffected post GST,” NPPA officials had tweeted on June 30. The officials had added that medicines are available in sufficient quantity and people should immediately complain if any pharmacist is charging them extra or claims non-availability of a medicine. The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) said it was in talks with manufacturers to make sure profit margins were unaffected. “There will be no more protests or strikes. We are providing medicines as per the revised rates,” said Damji Palan, President of Retail and Dispensing Chemists Association (RDCA).

Helpline number: 1800111255

Whatsapp number; 9695736333

Link to download the application: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nic.app.searchmedicineprice&hl=en

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Goods and Services Tax in Maharashtra: Cost of 78% medicines, drugs won’t change