**Executive Summary**
This report outlines the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s initiatives to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into cancer screening and diagnostics. Key developments include the launch of the CATCH Grant Program, the SAHI ethical framework, and the BODH benchmarking platform on February 17, 2026. These measures aim to foster innovation through milestone-based funding of up to ₹1 crore and provide the digital infrastructure necessary for scaled healthcare deployment.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Funding and Innovation (CATCH Grant Program)**
* The Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) was launched under the India AI Mission in partnership with the National Cancer Grid (NCG).
* The program invites collaborative proposals from technology innovators and clinical institutions for AI-based screening and diagnostics.
* Selected projects are eligible for milestone-based pilot funding of up to ₹50 lakh, with potential scale-up support of up to ₹1 crore for projects demonstrating clinical readiness.
**Governance and Benchmarking (SAHI & BODH)**
* **SAHI (Strategy for AI in Healthcare in India):** A national guidance framework launched to ensure the ethical, safe, and inclusive adoption of AI across the Indian healthcare system.
* **BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI):** Developed with IIT Kanpur, this platform provides a structured mechanism for testing and benchmarking AI solutions before large-scale deployment.
**Digital Infrastructure and Integration**
* **ABDM Sandbox:** The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission provides a sandbox environment and integration toolkits for developers to test and integrate AI screening applications.
* **National NCD Portal:** Operates under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPNCD) to enable digital screening, referrals, and care for breast, cervical, and oral cancers.
* **System Connectivity:** The portal integrates with ABHA IDs and supports electronic health records, allowing frontline workers (ASHA/ANM) and facility staff to capture real-time data from Primary Health Centres to District Hospitals.
**Financial Approvals**
* State Program Implementation Plan (SPIP) approvals for NP-NCD under the National Health Mission have seen steady growth, with ₹1,30,288.67 lakhs approved for the 2025-26 period.
**Impact Analysis**
**Technology Innovators and Developers**
**Impact**
Developers gain access to financial grants, a structured benchmarking platform (BODH), and a sandbox environment to validate and integrate their AI tools into the national health ecosystem.
**Action Required**
Collaborate with clinical institutions to submit proposals for the CATCH Grant Program and utilize ABDM toolkits for software integration.
**Clinical Institutions and Healthcare Facilities**
**Impact**
Institutions can pilot-test cutting-edge AI solutions and benefit from streamlined referral systems and standardized electronic health records through the National NCD Portal.
**Action Required**
Participate in validation studies for AI solutions and ensure facility-level staff are utilizing the NCD Portal for data capture and follow-ups.
**Frontline Health Workers (ASHA/ANM)**
**Impact**
Workers are empowered with mobile and web applications that simplify population enumeration, risk assessment, and real-time monitoring of cancer screenings.
**Action Required**
Use the integrated digital apps for screening referrals and maintaining the care continuum for common non-communicable diseases.
Key Entities Referenced
Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program: A funding initiative under the India AI Mission for developing and validating AI-based solutions for cancer screening, diagnostics, and care.
Strategy for AI in Healthcare in India (SAHI): A national guidance framework designed to ensure the safe, ethical, and evidence-based adoption of artificial intelligence across the Indian healthcare system.
Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI (BODH): A platform developed in partnership with IIT Kanpur to provide a structured mechanism for testing and benchmarking AI solutions before large-scale deployment.
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM): A digital mission providing the sandbox environment and integration toolkits necessary for health tech developers to deploy AI screening tools.
National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD): The program overseeing the National NCD Portal, which facilitates digital screening, referrals, and continuous care for cancers and common NCDs.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Steps taken to use AI in Cancer Screening
Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program
Unveiled Under India AI Mission to Promote AI-Based
Screening, Diagnostics, and Cancer Care Solutions
Ministry Launched SAHI for Ethical AI Guidance and BODH
for Health AI Benchmarking at India AI Summit to
Revolutionize Indian Healthcare
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission provides a sandbox
environment and integration toolkits, allowing health
technology developers to integrate their applications/
software, including AI screening tools
National NCD Portal under NPNCD Enables Digital Screening
Referrals and Care Continuum for Cancers and Common
NCDs with ABHA Integration
Posted On: 24 MAR 2026 4:41PM by PIB Delhi
Under the aegis of the India AI Mission, an initiative led by the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY), the Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program has been launched
in partnership with the National Cancer Grid (NCG). This programme invites collaborative proposals from
clinical institutions and technology innovators for the development, pilot testing and validation of AI-
based solutions across the cancer care continuum, including AI-enabled screening and diagnostics.
Selected projects receive milestone-based pilot funding of up to ₹50 lakh, with opportunities for
additional scale-up support upto ₹1 crore for wider deployment, subject to demonstrated clinical
readiness.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the ‘Strategy for AI in Healthcare in India’
(SAHI) and the ‘Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI’ (BODH) on 17th February 2026
during the India AI impact summit. SAHI is a national guidance framework to enable the safe, ethical,
evidence-based, responsible and inclusive adoption of artificial intelligence across India’s healthcare
system. ‘Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI’ (BODH) provides a structured mechanism for
testing and benchmarking AI solutions before deployment at scale. SAHI has been developed after
intensive consultation with all the major stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem, including acedemia.
Further, BODH has been developed in partnership with Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) provides a sandbox environment and integration toolkits that
allow health technology developers to integrate their applications/ software, including AI screening tools.
The National NCD Portal developed under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-
Communicable Diseases (NPNCD) provides a comprehensive digital platform for population
enumeration, risk assessment, screening, referrals and continuum of care for common NCDs, including
cancers such as breast, cervical and oral. The portal integrates mobile and web apps for frontline health
workers (ASHA/ANM) and facility level staff, enabling data capture and follow-up across Primary Health
Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals. It is linked with ABHA
(Ayushman Bharat Health Account) IDs and supports standardized electronic health records, streamlined
referrals and real time monitoring of screening and outcomes across the health system.
The details of SPIP Approvals for National Programme for Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD)
under NHM during the period of F.Y. 2021-22 to 2025-26 are as under :-
Year SPIP Approvals (₹ in lakhs)
2021–22 60,659.39
2022–23 1,18,470.27
2023–24 1,16,823.45
2024–25 1,51,052.88
2025-26 1,30,288.67
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written
reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
****
SR
HFW/Steps taken to use AI in Cancer Screening/24 March 2026/2
(Release ID: 2244526) Visitor Counter : 141
Read this release in: Urdu , ही