**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the Indian government's response to a parliamentary inquiry regarding the status of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)-supported cancer care facilities, particularly in Odisha. It outlines expansions and advancements in cancer treatment, medical technology, and materials for strategic sectors. The response highlights the contributions of these technologies to self-reliance, affordable healthcare, and national security and was answered on 04.02.2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Cancer Care Facilities Expansion:**
* Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) has expanded to establish 11 hospitals/institutions across seven states.
* A 200-bed state-of-the-art cancer hospital and research center is being established at the NISER Campus, Jatni (Khurda district), Odisha.
* **Irradiation Facilities in Odisha:**
* No DAE irradiation facilities for medical product sterilization are in Odisha.
* Two Gamma Irradiation Chamber units are present: GC-5000 at NISER, Bhubaneswar, and a Blood Irradiator at "IMS & SUM Hospital”, Bhubaneswar.
* **Rare Earth Element (REE) Advancements:**
* Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), with Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMDER), developed Certified Reference Material (FC-CRM) for REE.
* BARC produces high-purity gallium, indium, and germanium and lutetium for radiopharmaceutical applications.
* **Technology Contributions:**
* Indigenously developed technologies for REE exploration, extraction, and production of radioisotopes/materials reduces import dependency.
* These materials are vital for sectors like renewable energy, healthcare, electronics, and nuclear.
* BARC does not have project proposals in the tribal and aspirational districts in Odisha.
**Impact Analysis**
**Healthcare Providers (Hospitals, Cancer Centers)**
* **Impact:** Can utilize new radioisotope enrichment routes (CRM and lutetium based radiopharmaceutical development) for cancer treatment.
* **Action Required:** Assess and implement new treatment approaches using available radiopharmaceuticals.
**Patients (especially in Odisha)**
* **Impact:** Increased access to comprehensive cancer care through new and expanded facilities. Potential for cheaper and less side effective drugs are being discovered.
* **Action Required:** Not specified.
**Strategic Sectors (Renewable Energy, Electronics, Nuclear)**
* **Impact:** Availability of high-purity materials (gallium, indium, germanium) promotes self-reliance in these sectors.
* **Action Required:** Not specified.
**Researchers and Developers**
* **Impact:** Have access to certified reference materials for rare earth elements (REE) which supports advancement in the REE ore mining industry.
* **Action Required:** N/A
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE): The department responsible for supporting cancer care facilities and radiopharmaceutical production centres.
Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospitals: A network of cancer hospitals and radiopharmaceutical production centers supported by the DAE.
Tata Memorial Centre (TMC): An institution under the administrative control of the DAE that expands cancer care facilities across multiple states.
Odisha: A state where the current status and utilization of DAE supported cancer care facilities is being specifically addressed, including the establishment of a cancer hospital at the NISER Campus, Jatni.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC): An organization involved in the exploration and processing of rare earth elements (REEs) and the production of high-purity materials relevant to cancer care.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO – 710
ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026
HOMI BHABHA CANCER HOSPITALS AND RADIOPHARMACEUTICAL
PRODUCTION CENTRES
710. SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE
SHRI P C MOHAN
SHRI DINESHBHAI MAKWANA
SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL
SMT D K ARUNA
SHRI SUKANTA KUMAR PANIGRAHI
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-
(a) the details of the current status and utilization of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)-
supported cancer care facilities including Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospitals and
radiopharmaceutical production centres particularly in the State of Odisha;
(b) the details and extent of medical device sterilization blood irradiation and healthcare
services enabled through electron beam and gamma irradiation facilities along with the
details of institutions and industries benefitting therefrom particularly in Odisha;
(c) the details of recent advancements made in certified reference materials, isotope
enrichment and high-purity materials relevant for rare earths, semiconductors and strategic
sectors along with the details of such facilities or collaborations operational or proposed
particularly in Odisha; and
(d) whether these technologies are contributing to affordable cancer care, improved
healthcare, industrial self-reliance, Atmanirbhar Bharat and national security and if so,
whether any new projects or additional budgetary support are proposed particularly in
tribal and aspirational districts including the State of Odisha?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
AND PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) under the Administrative control of Department of Atomic
Energy expanded in seven states by establishing 11 Hospital/Institutions to provide the
comprehensive cancer care at Mumbai, Kharghar-New Mumbai, Punjab, Varanasi, Vizag,
Muzaffarupur and Guwahati. TMC created the facility at Khopoli by tapping Indiansystem of medicine for drug discovery and for cheaper and less side effective drugs.
Promotion of Indian and Traditional knowledge of Medicine. Cultivation and
Conservation of Medicinal plants unique to India and a 200-bed state-of-the-art cancer
hospital and research centre is being established at the NISER Campus, Jatni (Khurda
district), Odisha. The current status and the utilization are as follows:
No. of No. of
Sr. Date of Patient surgeries
Name of the Hospital City, State Beds
No. commissioning Registered in performed in
2025 2025
Mumbai,
1 Tata Memorial Hospital 1941 650 35705 43208
Maharashtra
Advanced Centre for
Treatment, Research and Navi Mumbai,
2 2002 500 8970 12588
Education in Cancer Maharashtra
(ACTREC)
Mahamana Pt. Madan
Mohan Malaviya Cancer Varanasi, Uttar
3 19/02/2019 394 25047 4188
Centre (MPMMCC) at Pradesh
Varanasi
Homi Bhabha Cancer Varanasi, Uttar
4 01/05/2018 189 2684 556
Hospital Pradesh
Homi Bhabha Cancer Visakhapatnam,
5 11/05/2023 210 9751 4581
Hospital & Research Centre Andhra Pradesh
Homi Bhabha Cancer New Chandigarh,
6 24/08/2022 300 10107 4807
Hospital & Research Centre Punjab
Homi Bhabha Cancer
7 Sangrur, Punjab 20/01/2015 150 7796 1963
Hospital
Dr. B. Borooah Cancer
8 Guwahati, Assam 27/11/2017 312 9810 4273
Institute (BBCI)
Homi Bhabha Cancer
Muzaffarpur,
9 Hospital and Research 30/04/2025 107 7526 1212
Bihar
Centre
Mumbai, Expected
10 Platinum Jubilee Block 583 -- --
Maharashtra 31/03/2027
Integrated Centre for
Treatment, Research, and Khopoli, Raighad, Expected
11 75 -- --
Education in Cancer Maharashtra 27/06/2026
(ICTREC)
Homi Bhabha Cancer Bhubaneswar, Expected
12 200 -- --
Hospital Odisha 07/05/2026
(b) There is no irradiation facility established by DAE for sterilisation of medical products
in Odisha. There are two Gamma Irradiation Chamber unit in Odisha
i. GC-5000 installed in “National Institute of Science Education and Research
(NISER), Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
ii. Blood Irradiator in “IMS & SUM Hospital”, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
(c) Ferrocarbonatite (FC) is a proven source for REEs explored in large deposits in India.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), jointly with Atomic Minerals Directoratefor Exploration and Research (AMDER), has prepared Certified Reference Material
(FC-CRM) for rare earth element (REE) required for development and validation of
analytical methods, calibration of instruments and quality control. It certifies 13 REEs
(Ce, Dy, Er, Eu, Gd, La, Nd, Pr, Sc, Sm, Tb, Y and Yb) and 6 major elements (Al, Ca,
Fe, Mg, Mn and P) and is useful in exploration, extraction and process control in REE
ore mining. The CRM is the 4th such CRM in the world and first in India. BARC is
producing high-purity gallium, indium, and germanium which is vital for use in
semiconductors and radiation detectors to support its nuclear power programme.
Further, requisite quality lutetium for radiopharmaceutical applications is also produced
through isotope enrichment route. These CRM and lutetium based radiopharmaceutical
development can be used by industries and hospitals respectively across the country
including Odisha.
(d) These indigenously developed technologies related to REEs CRM required for
exploration, extraction and process control in REE ore mining, production of
radioisotope of requisite quality for medical applications especially in cancer care and
production of high purity gallium, indium, and germanium are likely to reduce the
dependency on imports in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. These materials
are vital for major technology intensive sectors such as renewable energy, healthcare
sector, electronics, radiation detectors for self-reliance in nuclear, healthcare and
industrial sector in the country including the state of Odisha. Presently, BARC does not
have project proposal in the tribal and aspirational district in Odisha.
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