Parliament Question: Vacancies in District and Rural Hospitals

GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3542 TOBE ANSWERED ON13TH MARCH, 2026 VACANCIES IN DISTRICTAND RURALHOSPITALS †3542.SHRIBAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE: Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether the Government is aware that several posts of specialist doctors, anaesthetists, pediatricians and gynaecologists are lying vacant in the district and rural hospitals of Beed district andif so, the details thereof; (b) whether any special scheme has been proposed by the Government to fill the said vacanciesandif so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government is considering to provide financial assistance to upgrade the BeedDistrict Hospital intoa Super-SpecialtyHospital, if so, the detailsthereof; (d) whether the Government is likely to provide assistance to establish regional treatment centres for cancer and heart diseases in drought-prone and economically backward districts like Beed,if so, the details thereof; (e) whether any complaints have been received regarding eligible beneficiaries not receiving full benefitsunderthe Ayushman Bharat Yojana; and (f) if so, the details thereof along with the concrete steps likely to be taken by the Government toimprove the situation inthisregard? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) to (d): Public Health’ & ‘Hospitals’ are State subjects, hence, the primary responsibility of providing basic healthcare services including specialist doctors, anaesthetists, pediatricians and gynaecologists in public health facilities of the country lies with respective State/UT Government. Health Dynamics of India (HDI) (Infrastructure & Human Resources), 2022-23 is an annual publication, based on healthcare administrative data reported by States/UTs. Details of availability of healthcare facilities and specialized human resources & gaps in the country, State/UT-wise including Beed district of Maharashtra, may be seen at the following link of 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 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 areasacross the country includingMaharashtra,which include:  Hard Area Allowance to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas so thattheyfind it attractive toserve inpublic healthfacilities insuch areas.  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 postgraduate 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 such as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) andLife SavingAnaesthesia Skills(LSAS). Super-speciality facilities of Tertiary care are provided through Medical Colleges and primary/secondary care is provided till the level of District Hospital (DH). Under National Health Mission (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support for infrastructure, humanresource andcapacitybuilding, drugs, diagnostics, equipment and quality assurance to the States/UTs including Maharashtra to strengthen District hospitals, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs). Support under NHM is provided to State/UTs for provision of dialysis services andcancercare facilities inDistrict Hospitals. 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 (IPHL) and Critical Care Hospital Blocks (CCBs). Total amount of 1086.44 Cr. has been approved under PM-ABHIM for the State of Maharashtra forFY2021-22 toFY2025-26. 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 and the same have been accepted by the Union Government. These grants for health through Local Governments will be spread over the five-yearperiod from FY2021-2022 toFY2025- 26 and will facilitate strengthening of health system at the grass-root level. Total amount of Rs.7063.60 crore has been allocated under FC-XV health grant for the State of Maharashtra for FY2021-22 toFY2025-26. National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, early diagnosis, referral toanappropriate levelof healthcarefacilityfor treatment andmanagementandhealth promotion and awareness generation for prevention of NCDs including cervical cancer. Under NP-NCD, 770 District NCD Clinics, 364 District Day Care Centres, 233 Cardiac Care Units and 6410 Community Health Centre NCD Clinics has been set up in the country including Maharashtra. Additional 297 Day Care Cancer Centers (DCCC) also approved in this financial year.A population-based initiative for screening, management and prevention of common NCDs have been rolled out as a part of comprehensive Primary Health Care in the country under NHM. (e) & (f): Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is a 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’spopulation. Recently, the scheme hasbeenexpandedtocover6 crore senior citizens of age 70 years and above belonging to 4.5 crore families irrespective of their socio-economic status underAB PM-JAYwith VayVandanaCard. NHAmaintains Centralized Grievance Redressal Management System (CGRMS) and a 24×7 toll-free helpline number 14555 for registering any grievance or seeking any information relatedtoPM-JAY. Such grievances are monitored through a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism at the District, State, and National level. At each level, designated nodal officers and Grievance Redressal Committeesare inplace toexamineandresolve the grievances. *****