NITI Aayog, DoP pushing for raising essential drugs prices:

For providing benefits to big private firms, the NITI Aayog along with Pharmaceuticals Department is attempting to decontrol prices of essential medicines, the RSS's economic wing SJM alleged today.
"If this happens it will be a blow to the common man as prices of medicines will spike and become unaffordable for the public," Swadeshi Jagran Manch National co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan claimed.
Mahajan also wrote to Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar, alleging the NITI Aayog is "fully occupied with the interests of private players, and is hand in gloves with the Department of Pharmaceuticals".
"... That is why it (NITI Aayog) is aggressively pushing privatisation of public health care as well as attempting to decontrol pricing of essential medicines," Mahajan said in a letter.

He also alleged that there have been "attempts to dismantle" the drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
"We have learnt that the DOP along with NITI Aayog, is planning to amend the drug price control order (DPCO) 2013 and that this exercise is in advanced stages whereby several amendments are being finalised..," he added.

The SJM further said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to ensure that the poor in the country get essential medicines at reasonable and affordable prices.
"But, unfortunately, departments in Modi government are acting against what he had promised to the people," Mahajan added.
He has requested Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Kumar's to intervene and "stem the attempts to undermine the independence" of the NPPA and its ability to act in public interest.