Executive Summary:
This document is the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2168 regarding ambulance services in tea estates of Assam, answered on August 1, 2025. It outlines the deployment of Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs) in Assam's tea garden hospitals, their operational status, and the support provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to strengthen the healthcare system. The response also addresses audits and inspections of ambulances and medical equipment.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Ambulance Deployment in Assam Tea Estates:**
* 649 Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs) have been deployed in tea garden hospitals across Assam.
* These PTVs aim to improve referral transport and ensure timely healthcare access for tea garden workers and their families.
* All PTVs deployed are reported to be in proper working condition.
* **Central Government Support:**
* The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to States/UTs to strengthen their public healthcare systems, based on State/UT requirements.
* The Ministry supports States/UTs for improving their emergency ecosystem through State Programme Implementation Plans (SPIP).
* The Ministry has urged State authorities to ensure strict compliance with Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 125 during ambulance procurement and registration.
* **Audits and Inspections:**
* The Ministry supports a framework for periodic audits and assessments of ambulances and their equipment.
* The implementation progress and performance of ambulances are regularly monitored and inspected by State authorities.
* The primary responsibility of ensuring functional ambulances adapted to local contexts lies with State/UT Governments.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments (including Assam):
* Impact: Responsible for strengthening the public healthcare system, including ambulance services, and ensuring functional ambulances adapted to local contexts.
* Action Required: Continue regular monitoring and inspection of ambulances, ensure compliance with AIS 125 standards during procurement, and adapt services to meet local needs.
Tea Garden Hospitals and Health Units:
* Impact: Recipient of PTVs and subject to audits and inspections to ensure service quality and operational readiness.
* Action Required: Maintain PTVs in proper working condition and cooperate with audits and inspections conducted by State authorities.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:
* Impact: Provides technical and financial support to States/UTs for strengthening healthcare systems.
* Action Required: Continue providing support to States/UTs, promoting compliance with AIS 125 standards, and supporting frameworks for periodic audits and assessments.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Union government ministry responsible for health policy in India, providing technical and financial support to states and union territories.
Assam: A state in Northeast India where the tea estates are located; the focus of the ambulance service inquiry.
Shri Gaurav Gogoi: Member of Parliament who raised the question about ambulance services in tea estates of Assam.
Shri Prataprao Jadhav: Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare who provided the answer to the parliamentary question.
Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs): Vehicles deployed in tea garden hospitals in Assam to improve referral transport facilities and ensure timely access to healthcare.
State Programme Implementation Plan (SPIP): A plan used by States/UTs to improve their emergency ecosystem, with support from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
National Programme Coordination Committee (NPCC): Committee that appraises the State Programme Implementation Plan (SPIP).
Automotive Industry Standard AIS125: A standard for ambulances to standardize emergency medical response services across the country, compliance to which is urged by the Ministry.
GOVERNMENT OFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2168
TO BE ANSWERED ON01stAUGUST 2025
AMBULANCES SERVICES IN TEAESTATES OFASSAM
2168. SHRIGAURAVGOGOI:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government has data on the number of ambulances currentlydeployed inhospitals and
primaryhealthunitslocated inthe tea estatesof Assam, if so, the detailsthereof;
(b) whether it is a fact that a significant proportion of these ambulances are non-functional or lack
essential medical equipment, as indicated by recent field assessments conducted by health authorities
andcivilsociety organisations, if so, the detailsthereof;
(c) the steps taken by the Government to ensure functional and well-equipped ambulance services in
tea estate hospitals and healthunitsacross Assam;
(d) whether the Central or State Government conducts regular audits or inspections of ambulances and
medicalequipment availableintea estate health facilities; and
(e) if so, the details of such audits, including the frequency, findings and corrective measures taken in
thisregard?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) & (b): The Primary responsibility of strengthening public healthcare system, including efforts to
have required numbers of ambulances lies with the respective States/UTs. The Ministry of Health and
FamilyWelfare providesthe technical andfinancialsupport tothe States/UTs tostrengthen theirpublic
healthcaresystem, based onthe requirementsposed byStates/UTs.
As per information provided by Government of Assam, a total of 649 Patient Transport Vehicles
(PTVs) have been deployed specifically in tea garden hospitals across the State of Assam part of a
targeted intervention to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure in tea garden areas, where access to
medical transport has traditionallybeen limited.These vehicleshave beenprovidedto improve referral
transport facilities andensure timely access tohealthcare for tea garden workers andtheir families. All
the PTVsdeployedintea gardenhospitals are presently inproper working condition.
(c): The Ministry supports States/UTs each year for improving their emergency ecosystem through
State Programme Implementation Plan (SPIP) duly apprised by the National Programme Coordination
Committee (NPCC). The Ministry has also urged State authorities to ensure strict compliance to
Automotive Industry Standard (AIS-125) during procurement and registration of ambulances to
standardize emergency medicalresponse services across the country.(d) & (e): The Ministry supports a robust framework for periodic audits and assessments of
ambulances and their equipment, encouraging high standards of operational readiness and service
quality. Since Health is State Subject, the primary responsibility of strengthening public healthcare
system, including efforts to have required number of functional ambulances adapted to local contexts
so that rural, remote, and undeserved populations receive sustained attention, lies with the respective
State/UT Governmnets. The implementation progress and performance of ambulances are regularly
monitoredandinspectedbyState authorities.
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