§1What this business is

A retail pharmacy with registered pharmacists dispenses prescription and over-the-counter medicines and sells vitamins and supplements, devices (thermometers, glucose meters, BP monitors, first-aid kits), personal care, nutrition products, sanitary and adult-hygiene items and masks. Medicines are 80% of sales in the profile.

Capacity: 87,480 units a year; sales ₹122.31 L (medicines 80%, personal care 5%, nutrition 5%, sanitary 5%, devices 4%, PPE 1%).

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

A registered pharmacist (B.Pharm or D.Pharm), or a founder who employs one, near a hospital, clinic or busy market.

Who it is not for

Someone hoping to run a pharmacy without a qualified pharmacist on duty.

Advantages

  • Medicines are a need, not a choice — steady demand
  • Break-even is under a third of planned sales
  • Doctors and clinics nearby bring regular footfall
  • Supplements and devices add margin

Drawbacks

  • Cannot run without a registered pharmacist
  • Strict record-keeping and inspection
  • Expiry losses on slow medicines
  • Online pharmacies and chains discount heavily

Skills you need

  • Dispensing and medicine knowledge
  • Stock, batch and expiry control
  • Drug-licence record keeping
  • Customer care and trust

Why difficulty 3/5: Licensing, a qualified pharmacist and strict records are essential.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Patients and families
  • Clinics and nursing homes
  • Elderly people buying regular medicines

How it sells

  • Counter sales against prescriptions
  • Home delivery of repeat medicines
  • Supply to nearby clinics

Good to know

  • Medicines are 80% of the planned ₹122.31 L sales.
  • The equipment table in the profile adds to ₹9.09 L while the project cost uses ₹10.49 L; one line seems missing from the table.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Pharmacy shelving display5₹1,75,000
Cashier counter1₹25,000
Display cabinets10₹2,50,000
Refrigeration unit1₹45,000
Storage cabinets20₹3,00,000
Air conditioning2₹90,000
Trash bins3₹24,000

From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Medical Shop

  • Prescription and OTC medicines, vitamins and supplementsbought from licensed wholesalers and stockists
  • Medical devices, personal care, sanitary and PPE itemsfrom distributors

From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Medical Shop

§5Licences & registration

  1. Retail drug licence from the Uttarakhand State Drugs Control Department
  2. Registered pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act
  3. GST registration
  4. FSSAI licence for health foods and supplements
  5. NOC from the district health department or local authority
  6. Shop and establishment registration

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

MUDRA (up to ₹20 L) can cover most of the ₹20.87 L bank loan; CGTMSE backs collateral-free credit; Stand-Up India serves SC/ST and women founders.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Preliminary ₹0.34 L + equipment and furniture ₹10.49 L + working capital ₹23.95 L = ₹34.78 L. Promoter ₹13.91 L, bank ₹20.87 L (60%).

Working capital: ₹23.95 L of the ₹34.78 L project is working capital for medicine stock.

Year not printed on the DUY profile — check current prices.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

A local shop; it does not export goods.

§9Risks — where people fail

  • Licence suspension for record or storage lapses
  • Expired stock
  • Price cuts by online pharmacies
  • Credit to clinics and nursing homes

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working medical store (retail pharmacy) unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Retail drug licence from the Uttarakhand State Drugs Control Department, Registered pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect

§12Watch

There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.

Want to start Medical Store (Retail Pharmacy)?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Medical Shop

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.