Parliament Question: Strengthening of Medical Infrastructure

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1043 TO BE ANSWERED ON24.07.2026 STRENGTHENING OFMEDICALINFRASTRUCTURE 1043.SHRIBAPI HALDAR: Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) the details of action taken by the Union Government to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the Mathurapur Parliamentary Constituency in West Bengal especially inthe rural andcoastal region; (b) the number of new healthcare infrastructure/facilities sanctioned, operational and under construction in the said constituency under the National Health Mission (NHM) during the last three years; (c) whether the Government is aware that many rural patients still travel long distances due tothe lackof hospital infrastructure inthe coastal areasof the said constituency; (d) if so, whether the Government proposes to deploy Mobile Health Units or undertaken the upgradation of primary healthcare facilities upgrades under the National Health Mission,if sothe detailsthereof; and (e) the measures being taken by the Government to ensure equitable access to essential healthcareservices for ScheduledCastes (SCs) andcoastal communities? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) to (e): Under the National Health Mission, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs including West Bengal to strengthen the public healthcare system including strengthening of infrastructure gapsin rural areas including coastal area based on the proposals received from the States/UTs in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs). Government of India provides approval for the proposal inthe form of Recordof Proceedings (RoPs) aspernorms& availableresources. The details of health projects approved for the State of West Bengal including Mathurapur Parliamentary Constituency are availableinpublic domain at:https://nhm.gov.in/index4.php?lang=1&level=0&linkid=62&lid=75 In addition to the National Health Mission, Government of India has allocated the following funds for health infrastructure to West Bengal including Mathurapur Parliamentary Constituency:  PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) envisages increased investments in public health and other health reforms to provide better access to health in rural areas. Administrative approvals have been accorded to the Stateof West Bengal, for FY2021-22 toFY2025-26 for anamount of Rs.1309.29 Cr. For construction/ strengthening of 461 Building-less SHC-AAM, 204 Urban- Ayushman Arogya Mandir (U-AAM) , 23 Integrated Public Health Labs (IPHLs) at District level and 23 Critical Care Blocks (CCBs) at District Hospitals and Medical collegelevel. Mathurapur Parliamentary Constituency comes under South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Under the scheme, One (1) 50 bedded CCB at Diamond Harbour GMCH and one (1) IntegratedPublic Health Labs(IPHL) at M. R. Bangur SSH,eight (8) Urban-Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (U-AAMs) and forty two (42) Sub-Health Centres- AAMs (SHCs-AAMs) are approvedfor the district.  15th FC Inputs: Under 15th Finance Commission Health Grants for the State of West Bengal, Rs.4318.62 Crore has been approved for the five year period from FY2021- 22to FY2025-26 andRs.4217.93 Crore hasbeenreleasedduring the same periodthat also includes capital cost for establishment and strengthening of 1551 Building-less SHCs, 146 Building-less PHCs, 23 Building-less CHCs, 341 Block Public Health Units (BPHUs), and1171 Urban-AAMs.  The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aims at correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable tertiary healthcare services and to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country. Under the Scheme approvals has been accorded for Establishment of One new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Kalyani and upgradation of four Government Medical Colleges/ Institutions (GMCIs) viz. (1)Kolkata Medical College (2) BS Medical College, Bankura (3) Govt. Medical College, Malda and (4) North Bengal Medical College,Siliguri,Darjeelingfor the State of West Bengal. Under Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. 11 medical colleges were approved in West Bengal State at Districts Birbhum (Rampur Hat), Cooch Behar, Diamond Harbour, Purulia, North Dinajpur, Barasat, Uluberia, Arambagh, Jhargram, Tamluk and Jalpaiguri. All the 11 approvedmedicalCollegesare functional. Under National Health Mission (NHM), the Government has taken many steps to ensure equitable access to essential healthcare services by supporting the State Government in providing accessible & affordable healthcare to all including Scheduled Castes (SCs) and coastal communities. Various initiatives carried out under NHM by the Government of India are operationalisation of Ayushman Arogya Mandir, National Ambulance Services, Mobile Medical Units, ASHAs, 24 x 7 Services and First Referral Facilities, Prime Minister's National Dialysis Programme, various activities under Reproductive & Child Health, Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy, TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and Universal Immunizationprogramme etc. Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) are also supported under the National Health Mission (NHM) to provide preventive, promotive and curative healthcare services to populations residing in remote, difficult, and inaccessible areas, including coastal areas. Health is a state subject; hence state has the flexibility to station MMUs as per the need of the population. MMUs provide a comprehensive package of primary healthcare services free of cost at the point of service, along with referral services. As on 31st December 31st, 2025, a total of 49 MMUs are functional across the State of West Bengal. (Source: NHM-MIS Report, 31st December, 2025). As per information provided by West Bengal, Mobile Medical Boat are presently operational at four riverine blocks under Kakdwip sub-division, Namkhana, Patharpratima and Sagar blocks. Further, (8) eight MMU vehicles with medical team conducting medical campsinunder-served anddifficultareas@6 days/week have alreadybeeninitiated. ****