Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1342, answered on 06.02.2026, concerns AYUSH Paediatric Outpatient Departments (POPDs) in West Bengal. Shri Jyotirmay Singh Mahato asked the Minister of AYUSH to state the current status of the proposed POPD in Purulia district, any delays due to pending actions by the West Bengal government, the total number of operational AYUSH POPDs in West Bengal, whether the government proposes to increase POPDs in tribal-dominated districts, whether the state government has submitted proposals for additional POPDs, and the funds allocated and utilized for POPD development. The Minister of State (IC) of the Ministry of AYUSH (Shri Prataprao Jadhav) responded that the State Government of West Bengal reported that presently no such Paediatric Outpatient Department (POPD) was proposed under National Ayush Mission and no such Ayush POPD is available under State Government.
Key Entities Referenced
AYUSH POPD: Paediatric Outpatient Department under the Ministry of AYUSH, focus of the parliamentary question
Ministry of AYUSH: Indian government ministry responsible for developing and promoting AYUSH systems of medicine
West Bengal: Indian state where the implementation of AYUSH POPDs is being questioned.
National Ayush Mission: Indian government scheme for promoting AYUSH systems of medicine
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AYUSH
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1342
ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026
AYUSH POPDs in West Bengal
1342. Shri Jyotirmay Singh Mahato:
Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:
(a) the current status of the Paediatric Outpatient Department (POPD) proposed by the
Government in Purulia district of West Bengal including the details of approvals, land
availability;
(b) whether any delay has occurred due to pending actions by the State Government of West
Bengal and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the total number of AYUSH POPDs currently operational in West Bengal, district-wise,
along with information on their staffing and service delivery capacity;
(d) whether the Government proposes to increase the number of POPDs in tribal-dominated
districts of Junglemahal such as Purulia, Jhargram, Bankura, Medinipur etc. considering the
high child population and limited paediatric healthcare access and if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the State Government has submitted proposals for establishing additional POPDs
in West Bengal and if delays or non-submission of proposal have affected expansion and if
so, the details thereof; and
(f) the funds allocated and utilized for POPD development in West Bengal including the
current status of utilization with respect to the proposed Purulia POPD?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH
(SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (f) State Government of West Bengal reported that presently no such Paediatric
Outpatient Department (POPD) was proposed under National Ayush Mission and no such
Ayush POPD is available under State Government.
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