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GOVERNMENT OFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3600
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13thMARCH, 2026
ADEQUACYOFHEALTHCARE SERVICESIN URBAN, RURALAND SEMI-
URBAN AREAS
†3600.SHRIANILYESHWANTDESAI:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a)whether specialattentionisbeinggivenbytheGovernment tohealthcareservicesinurban,
rural andsemi-urban areasof the country;
(b) if so, the detailsthereofand the mannerinwhich the same isbeingimplemented;
(c)whether theGovernment hasassessed theadequacyof CommunityHealthCentres(CHCs)
inrural andsemi-urban areasof Maharashtra;
(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to upgrade the existing
CommunityHealthCentres(CHCs);
(e) the details of the availability of medical infrastructure, including operation theatres,
diagnostic facilities andin-patientwards inCHCs inthe said State;
(f) whether the Government has taken any steps to address the shortage of medical personnel
inCHCs; and
(g) if so, the details thereof and the measures being taken or proposed to be taken by the
Government for recruitment anddeployment?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (g): ‘Public Health’ & ‘Hospitals’ are State subjects, hence, the primary responsibility
of providing basic healthcare services to all the citizens of the country lies with respective
State/UTGovernment.
The National Health Mission (NHM) provides support for improvement in health
infrastructure, availability of adequate human resources in health facilities, to improve
availability, affordability and accessibility to quality healthcare services especially in urban,
rural and semi-urban areas of the country including Maharashtra. The Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare (MoHFW) provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs to
strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals received in the form of
Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under NHM. Government of India provides
approval for the proposals in the form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as per norms &availableresources.
Various initiatives carried out under NHM by the Government of India in the country
including Maharashtra are operationalisation of Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM), Free
Drugs Service Initiative, Free Diagnostic Service Initiative (FDSI), National Ambulance
Services, Mobile Medical Units, ASHAs, 24 x 7 Services and First Referral Facilities, Prime
Minister's National Dialysis Programme, various activities under Reproductive & Child
Health, Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy, TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and Universal
Immunizationprogramme.
As per established norms, in rural areas, a Community Health Centre (CHC) for a population
of 1,20,000 (in plain) and 80,000 (in hilly and tribal area) is suggested. Further, for urban
areas, One Urban-Community Health Centre (U-CHC) for every 2.5 lakh population in non-
metro cities (above 5 lakh population) and one U-CHC for every 5 lakh population in the
metrocities.
Health Dynamics of India (HDI) (Infrastructure & Human Resources), is an annual
publication, based on healthcare administrative data reported by States/UTs. Details of
availability of CHCs, healthcare infrastructure and human resource in the country including
Maharashtra, maybe seen at the following linkof HDI 2022-23:
https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Health%20Dynamics%20of%20India%20%28Infrastr
ucture%20%26%20Human%20Resources%29%202022-23_RE%20%281%29.pdf
The IndianPublicHealthStandards(IPHS)have beendevelopedbyMoHFWfor primaryand
secondary healthcare facilities including CHCs which provides a set of uniform standards,
including norms for services, infrastructure, human resources, diagnostics, equipment,
medicinesetc,envisagedtoimprove the qualityof healthcaredeliveryinthe country.Further,
MoHFW has issued operational guidelines for upgrading all CHCs to First Referral Units
(FRUs) to include expanded services under the primary care essential service package and to
strengthen service availability andensure referral linkagesat the secondary level.
The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) with an
outlay of Rs.64,180 crore aims to provide support for infrastructure development for Sub-
Health Centres, Urban Health and Wellness Centres, Support for Block Public Health Units
(BPHUs), Integrated District Public Health Laboratories (IPHL) and Critical Care Hospital
Blocks (CCBs). The Fifteenth Finance Commission (FC-XV) has recommended grants
through local governments for specific components of the heath sector to the tune of
Rs.70,051 crore includingMaharashtra.
Under FDSI, Government of India provides financial support to States/UTs including
Maharashtra for providingaccessible andaffordablepathological andradiologicaldiagnostics
services closer to the community, free of cost at all levels of public health facilities [14 tests
at SubHealth Centre (SHC)-AAMs, 63 at Primary HealthCentre (PHC)-AAMs, 97at CHCs,
111test at Sub-Divisional Hospitals (SDHs) and134tests at District Hospitals (DHs)].The Government of India has taken number of initiatives in the form of incentives and
honorarium to the medical professionals for encouraging better service delivery in rural and
remote areasacross the country, which include:
i. Hard Area Allowance to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas so
thattheyfind it attractive toserve inpublic healthfacilities insuch areas.
ii. States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including
flexibilityinstrategies such as“YouQuote We Pay”.
iii. Non-monetary incentives such as preferential admission in postgraduate courses for
staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural
areashave also beenintroduced underNHM.
iv. Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of
specialists such as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care
(CEmONC) andLife SavingAnaesthesia Skills(LSAS).
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