New Delhi, Feb. 20 -- The government has mandated a three-month buffer stock of medicines under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), which covers 4.2 million beneficiaries across 81 cities, in a move aimed at tackling recurring shortages and potentially boosting medicine sales while also keeping an eye on quality, according to two government officials and documents reviewed by Mint.

The policy was approved for adoption 15 January 2026. The CGHS Directorate is currently rolling out operational guidelines and updating its digital systems to facilitate real-time tracking and buffer stock management.

The health and family welfare ministry's move comes in the backdrop of a growing number of complaints regarding medicine shortages and...