*No proposal of AIIMS for North Kashmir: Govt
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 21: The Government of India has allocated a substantial amount of Rs 3,481.03 crore to strengthen the healthcare sector in Jammu and Kashmir over the past four years under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes. Despite this significant financial push, the longstanding demand for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in North Kashmir remains unmet, with the Government clarifying that no such proposal is currently under consideration.
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The funds have been disbursed under major healthcare initiatives, including the National Health Mission (NHM), Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
Under NHM, aimed at enhancing accessible and affordable healthcare, the Central Government allocated Rs 459.10 crore in 2021-22, Rs 651.52 crore in 2022-23, and Rs 805.22 crore in 2023-24 whereas under PM-ABHIM, J&K received Rs 16.11 crore in 2021-22, Rs 1.00 crore in 2022-23, and Rs 44.01 crore in 2023-24. Meanwhile, AB-PMJAY provided Rs 75.12 crore in 2021-22, Rs 85.62 crore in 2022-23, and Rs 42.22 crore in 2023-24.
These details were revealed today in Lok Sabha by Prataprao Jadhav, Minister of State (MoS) in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in response to a query of Member Parliament from Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, Abdul Rashid Sheikh (also known as Engineer Rashid). The MoS reaffirmed that two AIIMS institutions are already sanctioned in J&K—one in Vijaypur, Jammu, and another in Awantipora, Kashmir. He cleared that as of now there is no proposal for establishing another AIIMs in Kashmir.
The Minister disclosed while AIIMS Jammu received Rs 305.00 crore in 2021-22, Rs 398.45 crore in 2022-23, Rs 402.39 crore in 2023-24, and Rs 212.22 crore in 2024-25, AIIMS Awantipora received Rs 130.00 crore in 2021-22, Rs 290.00 crore in 2022-23, Rs 333.17 crore in 2023-24, and Rs 255.00 crore in 2024-25, under Pradhan mantra Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
Additionally, he said, the Government has sanctioned seven new Medical Colleges, one each in Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Kathua, Rajouri, Udhampur, and Handwara, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for ‘Establishment of New Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals.’
Furthermore, under CSS for “Strengthening and Upgradation of Existing Government Medical Colleges for Increasing PG Seats and Starting New PG Disciplines,” a total of 196 PG seats have been approved for J&K. Under CSS for “Upgradation of Existing Government Medical Colleges for Increasing MBBS Seats,” an additional 60 MBBS seats have been approved across two Medical Colleges.
The financial allocations under these schemes over the past three years reflect the Government’s commitment to improving medical education in the region, the Minister asserted while elaborating that under CSS for ‘Strengthening and Upgradation of Medical Colleges for PG seats’, J&K received Rs 11.47 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 7 crore in 2023-24, while no funds were released for the ‘Upgradation of existing Medical Colleges for increasing MBBS seats’ and the ‘Establishment of New Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’.
Regarding the measures being taken to provide adequate equipment/testing facilities and filling vacancies of medical/paramedical staff in health sector of J&K, the Ministry emphasized that healthcare infrastructure, equipment availability, and medical workforce recruitment are primarily the responsibility of the state, and the Central Government extends financial and technical assistance under NHM to upgrade healthcare services, bridge gaps in medical and paramedical staffing, and enhance diagnostic and testing facilities.
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