**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 1235 in the Lok Sabha, addressed to the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, concerning the expansion of health services under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts of Jharkhand. The response, dated February 6, 2026, outlines the government's initiatives and support for strengthening health infrastructure, human resources, and services in the state of Jharkhand under various schemes like NHM and PM-ABHIM.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **State Subject:** Public Health and Hospitals fall under the State Government's purview; thus, providing doctors, nurses, and paramedical personnel is the responsibility of respective State Governments.
* **Data Availability:** Health Dynamics of India (HDI) provides details of doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff across the country, including in Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts of Jharkhand. The HDI 2022-23 data is available online.
* **National Health Mission (NHM) Support:**
* NHM supports improvements in health infrastructure and human resources to enhance the availability, affordability, and accessibility of quality healthcare in the country, including Jharkhand.
* The Ministry provides technical and financial support to States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system based on Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under NHM.
* Details of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) issued to States/UTs, including Jharkhand, are available online.
* Central releases under NHM for Jharkhand:
* FY 2022-23: ₹810.30 Crore
* FY 2023-24: ₹958.06 Crore
* FY 2024-25: ₹964.31 Crore
* **Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) Support:**
* PM-ABHIM aims to develop infrastructure for Sub-Health Centres, Urban Health and Wellness Centres, Block Public Health Units, Integrated District Public Health Laboratories, and Critical Care Hospital Blocks.
* A total of ₹1375.96 Crore has been approved under PM-ABHIM for Jharkhand for FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26.
* Central Releases under PM-ABHIM for Jharkhand:
* FY 2022-23: ₹183.04 Crore
* FY 2023-24: ₹102.27 Crore
* FY 2024-25: ₹65.27 Crore
* **Incentives for Medical Professionals:**
* Hard Area Allowance for specialist doctors in rural and remote areas.
* Negotiable salary to attract specialists ("You Quote We Pay").
* Non-monetary incentives like preferential admission in postgraduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improved accommodation.
* Support for multi-skilling of doctors under NHM.
* **Essential Services & Initiatives:**
* Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) and Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS).
* Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI) providing financial support for essential drugs at various health facilities (SHCs, PHCs, CHCs, SDHs, DHs).
* Free Diagnostics Service Initiative, for accessible and affordable pathological and radiological diagnostics services in public health facilities.
* National Ambulance Service with ALS, BLS, Patient Transport Vehicles, Boat Ambulances, Bike Emergency Response Vehicles and other empanelled vehicles.
* **Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY):**
* Health cover of ₹5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization for approximately 12.37 Crore families.
* Expansion to cover 6 crore senior citizens (70 years and above) irrespective of socio-economic status with Vay Vandana Card.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments**
* **Impact**
* State Governments bear the primary responsibility for the availability of doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff in public health facilities. They are the recipients of central funding to support health infrastructure.
* **Action Required**
* State Governments must effectively manage their health infrastructure, recruit and manage human resources, and implement the various initiatives supported by the central government. They should leverage the available funding and resources to improve healthcare services in their respective regions.
**Medical Professionals**
* **Impact**
* Medical professionals, particularly those serving in rural and remote areas, are directly impacted by the incentives and support provided by the government, such as Hard Area Allowance, negotiable salaries, and preferential postgraduate admissions.
* **Action Required**
* Medical professionals should consider serving in rural and remote areas to improve healthcare access for underserved populations, and take advantage of the incentives provided to them.
**Citizens of Jharkhand (Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts especially)**
* **Impact**
* The citizens of Jharkhand, especially in Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts, will benefit from the improved health infrastructure, increased availability of doctors and medical staff, and enhanced healthcare services under various government schemes.
* **Action Required**
* Citizens should utilize the available healthcare services and facilities, and be aware of their entitlements under schemes like AB PM-JAY for affordable healthcare access.
Key Entities Referenced
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY): A flagship health insurance scheme providing health cover for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to a large section of the population.
National Health Mission (NHM): A program providing support for improving health infrastructure and human resources in health facilities.
Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM): A mission to support infrastructure development for various health facilities.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The central ministry responsible for health and family welfare in India.
Jharkhand: Indian state where the expansion of health services under AB-PMJAY is discussed.
GOVERNMENT OFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION No. 1235
TOBE ANSWERED ON6th FEBRUARY, 2026
EXPANSION OFHEALTH SERVICES UNDER AB-PMJAYIN JHARKHAND
†1235.SHRIMANISH JAISWAL:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) the current status of sanctioned strength, working strength and vacant posts (Doctors,
Nurses and Paramedical staff)in PrimaryHealth Centres(PHCs), Community HealthCentres
(CHCs), Sub-Health Centres and District Hospitals in Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts of
Jharkhand;
(b) the amount of funds sanctioned and released by the Government during the last three
years for strengthening health infrastructure in the above-mentioned districts and the manner
inwhich these funds have beenutilized, scheme-wise andyear-wise;
(c) whether complaints regarding the shortage of specialist doctors, modern diagnostic
facilities, ambulance services and essential medicines in these districts have been received, if
so, the details thereof along with district-wise steps taken by the Government so far in this
regard;
(d) whether the Government proposes any new scheme for the expansion/strengthening of
health services in these districts under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
Yojana (AB-PMJAY);and
(e)if so, the detailsthereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (e): Public Health’ & ‘Hospitals’ are State subjects. The primary responsibility of the
availability of doctors, nurses and Paramedical staff in various public health facilities in the
countrylieswith the respective StateGovernments.
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 Doctors, Nurses and Paramedical staff across the country including in
Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts of Jharkhand, State/UT-wise, may be 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.pdfThe 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 health care in the country including
Jharkhand. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial
support to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals
receivedin the form of Programme ImplementationPlans (PIPs)underNHM. Government of
India provides approval for the proposals inthe form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as per
norms & available resources. The details of RoPs issued to States/UTs including Jharkhand,
are availableat following web link:
https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=1377&lid=744
Central releases under NHM from FY2022-23 to FY 2024-25 for the State of Jharkhand are
asfollows:
(RsinCrore)
FinancialYear CentralReleaseunderNHM
2022-23 810.30
2023-24 958.06
2024-25 964.31
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,
Integrated District Public Health Laboratories (IPHLs) and Critical Care Hospital Blocks
(CCBs) in the country. Total amount of Rs.1375.96 crore has been approved under PM-
ABHIM for the State of Jharkhand for FY2021-22 toFY2025-26. Central Release underPM
-ABHIM for the Stateof Jharkhand from FY2022-23 toFY2024-25 isasfollows:
(RsinCrore)
FinancialYear CentralReleaseunderPM-ABHIM
2022-23 183.04
2023-24 102.27
2024-25 65.27
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 areas across the country including Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts of Jharkhand,
which include:
i. Hard Area Allowance to specialist doctorsfor serving inrural andremote areasso that they
find it attractive toserve inpublic healthfacilitiesinsuch areas.
ii.States are also allowedto offernegotiable salary toattract specialist includingflexibility in
strategiessuch as“You Quote 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 areas have also
beenintroducedunderNHM.
iv. Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialistssuch as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) and Life
SavingAnaesthesia Skills (LSAS).
To ensure availabilityof essential drugs andreduce the Out of Pocket Expenditure(OOPE)of
the patients visiting the public health facilities, Government has rolled out the Free Drugs
ServiceInitiative (FDSI)underNHM. This includesfinancialsupport toStates/UTs including
Jharkhand for 106 drugs at Sub Health Centres (SHCs), 172 at Primary Health Centres
(PHCs), 300at CommunityHealthCentres(CHCs),318at SubDistrict Hospitals (SDHs) and
381drugs at District Hospitals (DHs).
Under Free Diagnostics Service Initiative, Government of India provides financial support to
States/UTs including Jharkhand for providing accessible and affordable pathological and
radiological diagnostics services closer to the community, free of cost at all levels of public
health facilities [14 tests at SHC-Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), 63 at PHC-AAMs, 97
at CHCs, 111test at SDHsand 134 tests at DHs].
Under National Ambulance Service, 3,144 Advanced Life Support (ALS), 15,546 Basic Life
Support (BLS), 3,928 Patient Transport Vehicle (PTV), 19 Boat Ambulances, 81 Bike
Emergency Response Vehicles and 5,792 other empanelled vehicles are supported under
NHM for transportation of patients, particularly pregnant women and sick infants from home
topublic healthfacilities andbackinthe countryincludingJharkhand.
Ayushman Bharat PradhanMantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)isa flagship scheme of
the Government which provideshealth coverof Rs. 5 lakhsper familyper yearfor secondary
and tertiary care hospitalization to approximately 55 Crore beneficiaries corresponding to
12.37 Crore families constituting economically vulnerable bottom 40% of India’s population
including Jharkhand. Recently, the scheme has been expanded to cover 6 crore senior
citizens of age 70 years and above belonging to 4.5 crore families irrespective of their socio-
economicstatus underAB PM-JAYwith VayVandanaCard.
*****