Parliament Question: Strengthening of Government Hospitals in Punjab

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1129 TO BE ANSWERED ON24.07.2026 STRENGTHENING OFGOVERNMENT HOSPITALSIN PUNJAB 1129.DR. DHARAMVIRAGANDHI: Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether the Union Government is taking steps to strengthen Government hospitals in Punjab on a priority basis and to ensure strict regulation and transparency in the chargesleviedby private healthcare institutions, if so, the detailsthereof; and (b) the details of the measures taken by the Government to regulate charges levied by private healthcareinstitutions andstrengthen Government hospitals inPunjab? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a)& (b): Public Health & hospitals fall under the State list and therefore, the primary responsibility of strengthening public healthcare system iswith the State/UT. However, under the National Health Mission, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs including State of Punjab to strengthen the public healthcare system including strengthening of Government hospitals based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under National Health Mission. Government of India provides approval for the proposal in the form of Record of Proceedings(RoPs) aspernorms& available resources. To ensure availability of essential drugs and reduce the Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) of the patients visiting the public health facilities, Government has rolled out the Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI) under National Health Mission. This includes financial support to States/UTs for 113 drugs at Sub HealthCentre level, 179 at Primary Health Centrelevel, 301 at Community Health Centre level, 318 at Sub District Hospital level and 381 drugs at district Hospitals. This Ministry supports ‘Free Diagnostics Service Initiative’ programme under NHM with the aim to provide accessible and affordable pathological and radiological diagnostics services closer to the community, which in turn reduces the Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE). Diagnostics services are provided free of cost at all levels of public health facilities (14 tests at Sub Centers, 63 at Primary Health Centers, 97 at Community Health Centres, 111 test at SubDistrict Hospitals and134 tests at District Hospitals). The Government of India, enacted ‘The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010’ (CE Act) and notified ‘The Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012’ thereunder to provide for registration and regulation of Government as well as private clinical establishments belonging to recognized systems of medicine i.e. Allopathy, Yoga, Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Siddha and Unani System of medicines, or any other system of medicine as may be recognised by the Central Government (except those of Armed Forces). The State Governments and Union Territories Administration which have adopted the CE Act are primarily responsible for regulating their hospitals including private hospitals as per provisions of the CE Act and Rules thereunder to ensure the provision of affordable and quality healthcare to patients. As per the CE Act, all the clinical establishments (Government & private) are required to fulfil the conditions of minimum standards of facilities and services and inter-alia, display of rates charged by them at a conspicuous place. The CE Act has empowered a registering authority at the District level under the chairmanship of the District Collector / District Magistrate to take actions includingimposing penalties inrespect of violationof itsprovisions. ****