Parliament Question: Special Recruitment Drive to Overcome Shortage of Doctors

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 5704 TO BE ANSWERED ON27.03.2026 SPECIALRECRUITMENTDRIVE TOOVERCOME SHORTAGE OFDOCTORS †5704.SHRIRAM SHIROMANI VERMA: Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether the Government proposes to launch any special recruitment drive to overcome the shortage of doctors and healthcare workers in these districts and if so, the detailsthereof; (b) whether the Government has any plan to establish new hospitals or upgrade the existing ones to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure in these areas and if so, the detailsthereof; and (c) if not,the reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a)to(c): Health is a State subject. All the administrative and personnel matters related to health human resource lies with the respective State/UT Governments. Under National Health Mission (NHM), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare provides financial and technical support toStates/UTs to strengthen their healthcaresystems including strengthening of Human Resources for Health (HRH) and healthcare infrastructure, based on the requirements posed by them in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overallresource envelope. The detailsof the same canbe accessed inthe link below: https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=1377&lid=744Under NHM, following types of incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging doctorsandhealthcare workers topractice inrural andremote areasof the country tomitigate the impactof shortage of doctors andhealthcareworkers: • Hard area allowance to specialist doctors for serving inrural and remote areasand for their residential quarters so that they find it attractive to serve in public health facilitiesinsuch areas. • Honorarium to Gynaecologists/ Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) trained, Pediatricians & Anesthetist/ Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is also provided to increase availability of specialists for conducting Cesarean Sections inrural & remote area. • Incentives like special incentives for doctors, incentive for Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM) for ensuring timely Antenatal Checkup (ANC) checkup and recording, incentives for conducting Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health activities. • States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including flexibilityinstrategies such as“You Quote We Pay”. • Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post graduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areashave also beenintroduced underNHM. • Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing HR is another major strategy under NRHM for achievingimprovement inhealthoutcomes. In addition to the National Health Mission, Government of India has allocated the following funds tostrengthen the healthcare infrastructure of the country: The Pradhan Mantri–Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM- ABHIM), launchedin the Year 2021,with an outlayof Rs. 64,180 Crore for FY2021 -22toFY2025-26,aimstoaddress the criticalgapsinprimaryhealthcare,diagnostics, surveillance, and critical care services across rural and urban areas by providing a continuum of care at all levels, namely primary, secondary, and tertiary, by preparing the healthcare systems to respond effectivelytopandemics anddisasters. 15th Finance Commission (FC-XV): The Fifteenth Finance Commission (FC-XV) has recommended grants through local governments for specific components of the heath sector to the tune of Rs.70,051 Crore for strengthening of Healthcare infrastructure inrural areas.  The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY): It aims at correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable teritiary healthcare services and toaugment facilitiesfor qualitymedical educationinthe country. The scheme hastwo components,namely,(i) SettingupofAllIndiaInstitute ofMedical Sciences(AIIMS); and (ii)Up-gradation of existing Government Medical Colleges/Institutions (GMCIs). So far setting up of 22 New AIIMS and 75 projects of upgradation of GMCIs have beenapprovedunderthe scheme invariousphases.  Under Centrally Sponsored Scheme for ‘Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’, a total of 157 Medical Colleges have beenapprovedinthe country. *****