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GOVERNMENT OFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3374
ANSWERED ON 7TH AUGUST,2026
EARLYSCREENING PROGRAMMES FORNCDS
†3374.SMT.DELKAR KALABEN MOHANBHAI:
SHRIBHUMARE SANDIPANRAOASARAM:
DR. SHIVAJIBANDAPPAKALGE:
Will the Minister OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleasedtostate:
(a) the present status of early screening programmes for diabetes, hypertension andmajor variants
of cancerunderPrimary andSecondaryhealthcarefacilities across the country;
(b) the extent to which nutrition education has been institutionalised as part of public health
initiatives including the details thereof, in Maharashtra and the UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and
Daman& Diu;
(c)the steps takenbythe Government incoordinationwith otherconcernedMinistries totackle air
pollutionandensure accesstosafe drinkingwater asa preventive healthintervention; and
(d) whether any cost-benefit assessment has been carried out to compare the expenditure on
preventive healthcare with the expenditure on tertiary healthcare and ICU infrastructure, if so, the
findings thereof, along with the action taken by the Government thereon, particularly in
Maharashtra?
ANSWER
THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND
FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (d): The Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India provides technical
and financial support to the States and Union Territories under the National Programme for
Prevention andControl of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). Under NP-NCD, 770District
NCD Clinics, 233 Cardiac Care Units and 6,410 NCD clinics at Community Health Centres have
been set up across the country. In addition, 524 Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) are functional
across the countrytoensure cancer care accessibility at district level.
Apopulation-basedinitiativeforprevention,control andscreeningforcommonNCDsi.e.diabetes,
hypertension, oral, breast and cervical cancer was rolled out in the country under National Health
Mission (NHM) as a part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care. Under the initiative, persons
more than 30 yearsof age are targeted for screening. Till July 2026, 42.4 crore have beenscreened
for hypertension, 42.21 crore for diabetes, 36.11 crore for oral cancer, 16.94 crore for breast
cancerand9.31crore for cervical cancerasperthe National NCD Portal.Nutrition education has been institutionalised as an integral component of public health initiatives
under the National Health Mission (NHM) and POSHAN Abhiyaan across the country, including
Maharashtra and the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. A lifecycle
approach is adopted to provide nutrition education and counselling through Ayushman Arogya
Mandirs (AAMs), Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Days (VHSNDs), and community-
based platforms. Under POSHAN Abhiyaan, implemented in convergence with the Ministry of
Women & Child Development, behaviour change communication is promoted through the Jan
Andolan approach, supported by nutrition e-learning modules developed by ICMR–National
Institute of Nutrition (NIN). Nutrition education is further strengthened through Rashtriya Bal
Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) and the Eat Right
India initiative. These interventions are implemented uniformly across all States and Union
Territories, including Maharashtra and the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman
& Diu.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched the National Clean Air
Programme (NCAP) in 2019 to address issues related to air pollution. Ministry of Jal Shakti in
partnership with States is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal to provide
potable water toeveryrural household of the countrythrough functionaltapwater connection.
Preventive aspect of NCDs is strengthened under Comprehensive Primary Health Care through
Ayushman Arogya Mandir, by promotionof wellness activities and targeted communication at the
community level across the country including Maharashtra. Further initiatives for increasing
public awareness about NCDs and for promotion of healthy lifestyle includes observation of
National & International Health Days and use of print, electronic and social media for continued
community awareness. In addition, the Fit India Movement promotes regularphysical activityand
healthy living, while the Khelo India programme encourages sports and fitness among all age
groups. Various Yoga-related activities are also undertaken by the Ministry of AYUSH to promote
healthandwellness.
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