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GOVERNMENT OFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 4808
TO BE ANSWEREDON20th MARCH 2026
ESTABLISHMENTOFMEDICALUNIVERSITY
†4808. SHRI AJAYBHATT:
Willthe Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased tostate:
(a) whether the Government proposes to establish a medical university to address the problem of
malnutritionandcommunicablediseases in the hill areasof the country;
(b) if so, the detailsthereofandthe current status inthis regard; and
(c)if not,the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a) to (c): At present, there is no scheme in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for establishment of a
medical university. However, this Ministry administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for
‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ with preference to
underserved areas and aspirational districts. Under the Scheme, 157 Government Medical Colleges have
been approved across the country, including twenty-seven (27) colleges in hilly areas, to improve access to
qualitymedicaleducationandhealthcare services. The detailsof medicalcolleges approvedinthe hillyareas
of the countryare at Annexure.
Public health and hospitals being a State subject, the primary responsibility for strengthening the
healthcare system rests with the respective State/UT Governments. However, the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare supplements the efforts of the States/UTs by implementing various schemes and
programmes for the prevention and control of Communicable Diseases under the overarching umbrella of
the National Health Mission (NHM). Financial support under NHM is provided based on the Programme
Implementation Plans (PIPs) submitted by the States/UTs, and the funds are utilized by them in accordance
with theirspecific needs, priorities, andabsorption capacity.
Further, addressing malnutrition is a priority of the Government and isbeing undertakenthrough the
Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child
Development. The Mission subsumes Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyaan and the Scheme for
Adolescent Girls, and is implemented across all States/UT, including hill areas. Under the Mission,
Supplementary Nutrition is provided to children (6 months to 6 years), pregnant women, lactating mothers
and adolescent girls in accordance with the norms prescribed under the National Food Security Act, 2013,
which were revised in January 2023 to ensure balanced and quality nutrition. Additional nutritional support
isalso providedtoSeverelyAcutelyMalnourished (SAM) children.
******Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4808 for
answeron20.03.2026
Annexure
State-wise details of Medical Colleges approved in Hilly Areas under the Centrally Sponsored
scheme for ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral
hospitals’
No. of
S.No State/UT Districts
colleges
Phase-I(17)
1 Arunachal Pradesh 1 Naharlagun
2 Assam 4 Dhubri, Nagaon, North Lakhimpur, Diphu
3 HimachalPradesh 3 Chamba,Hamirpur, Nahan (Sirmour)
4 Jammu & Kashmir 5 Anantnag,Baramulla, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua
5 Meghalaya 1 West Garo Hills (Tura)
6 Mizoram 1 Falkawn
7 Nagaland 1 Naga Hospital (Kohima)
8 Uttarakhand 1 Almora
Phase –II (01)
1 Sikkim 1 Gangtok
Phase-III (09)
1 Assam 1 Kokrajhar
2 Jammu & Kashmir 2 Udhampur, Handwara (Distt. Kupwara)
3 Ladakh 1 Leh
4 Manipur 1 Churachandpur
5 Nagaland 1 Mon
6 Uttarakhand 3 Rudrapur (Distt. Udham Singh Nagar), Pithoragarh,
Haridwar