Nagpur: Hundreds of pharma graduates hopeful of starting Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras (medical stores) at 600-plus bus stations of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) in Maharashtra were deceived as the website they had been asked to register on was not in existence thus far.

The website began functioning only on Tuesday evening after TOI started enquiring the company that was assigned the task of allotting franchises following complaints from Maharashtra Registered Pharmacists Association (MRPA). The pharmacists are in doubt about the process of allotment as the said company does not have a pharma background.

MRPA President, Kailas Tandale, stated that a newspaper advertisement inviting online applications for Jan Aushadhi Kendras at bus stations appeared on May 4. The advertisement stated that online forms are available on www.guninapharma.com. Tandale stated that when they tried to access the website, it was found non-existent.

MRPA members called on the phone number mentioned in the advertisement. It connected them to one Gunina Spices (India) Pvt Ltd. The officials there asked the candidates for their personal e-mail IDs and e-mailed the application forms to be filled offline.

The pharmacists received application forms in PDF format from a personal e-mail ID and not the official ID mentioned in the advertisement. In the forms, candidates were asked to pay Rs 2,540 as application fee through online payment, DD in the name of Gunina Commercial Pvt Ltd and not Gunina Pharma mentioned in the advertisement. Suspecting that something was wrong, MRPA approached TOI.

TOI discovered that MSRTC had given licence to Gunina Commercials Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based company, to select pharma graduates through an appropriate process and allot them Jan Aushadhi Kendras for next 10 years. The company supplies food grains, pulses, spices, edible oil, salt and other items to the state government departments. It has no pharma background. The website of this company had no mention of pharma business.

MSRTC secretary, Shashikant Mainhalikar, confirmed that a private company has been appointed to select Jan Aushadhi Kendra operators. He did not comment on why a company not dealing in pharma was appointed.

On Tuesday evening, the one page website of Gunina Pharma became functional. It mentioned that Gunina Pharma was a part of Gunina Commercials Pvt Ltd and that they got tender to open generic medicines shops (Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras) in MSRTC across Maharashtra.

There is a link on the website to download a PDF application form and another link where the scanned copy of the filled application can be uploaded. Unlike the earlier form mailed to the candidates, the one on the website did not mention any payment of Rs 2,540 as application fee.

Pharma graduates alleged there could be a network between politicians and the company appointed for selection of Jan Aushadhi Kendra operators. Certain things worth noticing include:

• Medical stores at bus stations in Maharashtra were announced in 2016
• Advertisement inviting applications from pharma graduates appeared on May 4
• It mentions last date of online application as May 15
• The web address given in the ad was not operational for three days
• It became operational on Tuesday but has no details about allotment process
• Ad mentioned Rs 2,540 application fee to be paid online, but website has no mention of payment
• Form downloaded from site asks applicants as to how much security deposit they can afford.

(TNN)