Lok Sabha Question No. 4808 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Establishment of Medical University
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Ajay Bhatt

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4808 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 th MARCH 2026

## ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDICALUNIVERSITY

## †4808. SHRI AJAY BHATT:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to establish a medical university to address the problem of malnutrition and communicable diseases in the hill areas of the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the current status in this regard; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c): At present, there is no scheme in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for establishment of a medical university. However, this Ministry 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. Under the Scheme, 157 Government Medical Colleges have been approved across the country, including twenty-seven (27) colleges in hilly areas, to improve access to quality medical education and healthcare services. The details of medical colleges approved in the hilly areas of the country are at Annexure.

Public health and hospitals being a State subject, the primary responsibility for strengthening the healthcare system rests with the respective State/UT Governments. However, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare supplements the efforts of the States/UTs by implementing various schemes and programmes for the prevention and control of Communicable Diseases under the overarching umbrella of the National Health Mission (NHM). Financial support under NHM is provided based on the Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) submitted by the States/UTs, and the funds are utilized by them in accordance with their specific needs, priorities, and absorption capacity.

Further, addressing malnutrition is a priority of the Government and is being undertaken through the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The Mission subsumes Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyaan and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls, and is implemented across all States/UT, including hill areas. Under the Mission, Supplementary Nutrition is provided to children (6 months to 6 years), pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls in accordance with the norms prescribed under the National Food Security Act, 2013, which were revised in January 2023 to ensure balanced and quality nutrition. Additional nutritional support is also provided to Severely Acutely Malnourished (SAM) children.

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Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4808 for answer on 20.03.2026

Annexure

State-wise details of Medical Colleges approved in Hilly Areas under the Centrally Sponsored scheme for 'Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals'

| S.No           | State/UT          | No. of colleges   | Districts                                                  |
|----------------|-------------------|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| Phase-I (17)   | Phase-I (17)      | Phase-I (17)      | Phase-I (17)                                               |
| 1              | Arunachal Pradesh | 1                 | Naharlagun                                                 |
| 2              | Assam             | 4                 | Dhubri, Nagaon, North Lakhimpur, Diphu                     |
| 3              | Himachal Pradesh  | 3                 | Chamba, Hamirpur, Nahan (Sirmour)                          |
| 4              | Jammu &Kashmir    | 5                 | Anantnag, Baramulla, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua                 |
| 5              | Meghalaya         | 1                 | West Garo Hills (Tura)                                     |
| 6              | Mizoram           | 1                 | Falkawn                                                    |
| 7              | Nagaland          | 1                 | Naga Hospital (Kohima)                                     |
| 8              | Uttarakhand       | 1                 | Almora                                                     |
| Phase -II (01) | Phase -II (01)    | Phase -II (01)    | Phase -II (01)                                             |
| 1              | Sikkim            | 1                 | Gangtok                                                    |
| Phase-III (09) | Phase-III (09)    | Phase-III (09)    | Phase-III (09)                                             |
| 1              | Assam             | 1                 | Kokrajhar                                                  |
| 2              | Jammu &Kashmir    | 2                 | Udhampur, Handwara (Distt. Kupwara)                        |
| 3              | Ladakh            | 1                 | Leh                                                        |
| 4              | Manipur           | 1                 | Churachandpur                                              |
| 5              | Nagaland          | 1                 | Mon                                                        |
| 6              | Uttarakhand       | 3                 | Rudrapur (Distt. Udham Singh Nagar), Pithoragarh, Haridwar |