Lok Sabha Question No. 4828 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Upgradation of District Hospital
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4828 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 th MARCH 2026

## UPGRADATION OFDISTRICT HOSPITAL

## 4828. SHRI SUKANTAKUMAR PANIGRAHI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the establishment of new medical colleges attached to existing district/referral hospitals has received and considered any proposal from the Government of Odisha for the upgradation of District Headquarters Hospital, Boudh into a Government Medical College, if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of the eligibility criteria, minimum bed strength, funding pattern and approval process under the said scheme;

(c) whether the Government has assessed the healthcare gaps, doctor-population ratio and regional imbalance in western Odisha, particularly in Boudh district, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to extend financial and technical support for establishing a Medical College at Boudh to improve tertiary healthcare services and increase MBBS seats in the State; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) to (e): The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a 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. The fund sharing mechanism between the Centre and State Governments is in the ratio of 90:10 for North Eastern and Special Category States, and 60:40 for others. Under the Scheme, all the envisaged 157 Government Medical Colleges have been approved including seven (07) medical colleges (Balasore, Baripada (Mayurbhanj), Bolangir, Koraput, Puri in Phase-I, Jajpur in PhaseII & Kalahandi in Phase-III) in Odisha. All the medical colleges are functional. However, no proposal for setting up of Medical College at Boudh has been received from the State of Odisha.

Further, the Government has recently approved Phase-III and extension of the CSSs for Strengthening and Upgradation of existing State/Central Government Medical Colleges, Standalone PG Institutes and Government Hospitals for creation of 5000 PG seats and 5023 MBBS seats with an enhanced cost ceiling of Rs. 1.50 crore per seat.

Public health and hospitals being a State subject, the primary responsibility for strengthening the healthcare system, including expansion of human resources, rests with the respective State/UT Governments. However, the Central Government has undertaken several initiatives to improve the availability of healthcare professionals in the country, including:

-  The Family Adoption Programme (FAP) has been incorporated into the MBBS curriculum to provide equitable healthcare access to rural population. FAP involves medical colleges adopting villages, and MBBS students adopting families within these villages.
-  Under District Residency Program of National Medical Commission (NMC) second/third year PG students of medical colleges are posted in district hospitals.
-  Hard area allowance is provided to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas and for their residential quarters.
-  Honorarium to Gynaecologists/Emergency Obstetric Care (EmoC) trained, Paediatricians & Anesthetist/ Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is provided to increase availability of specialists for conducting Cesarean Sections in rural & remote area.
-  Special incentives for doctors and incentive for Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) for ensuring timely checkup and recording for antenatal care and adolescent reproductive and sexual health are available.
-  States are allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialists including flexibility in strategies 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 areas have also been introduced under NHM.
-  Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing HR is another major strategy under NRHM for achieving improvement in health outcomes.

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