Lok Sabha Question No. 2439 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-13
Subject: Reporting of High Cancer Cases in North-East
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2439 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH FEBRUARY, 2026

## REPORTING OF HIGH CANCER CASES IN NORTH-EAST

## 2439. SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of cancer incidence in the country along with the number of reported cases annually during the last five years, State-wise;
- (b) the total number of different types of cancer cases reported from the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts during the last five years, type-wise;
- (c) whether it is true that the incidences of cancer are particularly high in the North-East States and Himalayan regions and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the details of research/studies conducted by the Government to assess the major causes of cancer and the key findings thereof;
- (e) the details of hospitals treating cancer, screening centres and public awareness programmes during the last five years in the State of West Bengal, particularly in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts; and
- (f) the details of financial schemes and facilities provided to Cancer Patients for travel to hospitals and towards treatment costs?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV )

(a) to (c): Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that, as per the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR) - National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), the estimated number of incident cases of all types and sites of cancer in the country during the last five years, State/UT-wise, is enclosed at Annexure-I . As per the NCDIR - NCRP, the higher Age Adjusted Incidence Rates (AAIR) are seen in some areas of North Eastern States.

- (d) ICMR is conducting research on cancer through its institutes, various projects and cancer consortium. ICMR is funding research in areas of gall bladder cancer, breast cancer, lung cancers, cancers in North-east through its centrally sponsored research projects.

(e) & (f) The Department of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to States and Union Territories across the country under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) as part of the National Health Mission (NHM). The programme focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, screening, early diagnosis, referral, treatment, and health promotion for Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

Under NP-NCD, 770 District NCD Clinics, 364 District Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCC) and 6,410 NCD clinics at Community Health Centres have been set up across the country. As per the announcement of Union Budget 2025-26, for financial year 2025-26, 297 Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) have been approved for establishment across the country to strengthen decentralized cancer care by aligning infrastructure development with patient needs.

A population-based initiative for prevention, control and screening for common NCDs i.e., diabetes, hypertension including three common cancers (oral cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer) has been rolled out in the country under NHM and also as a part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care. Under the initiative, persons more than 30 years of age are targeted for their screening for the three common cancers. Screening of these common cancers is an integral part of service delivery at Ayushman Arogya Mandir.

Under Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer Facilities Scheme, 19 State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) have been established across the country including 3 TCCCs in State of West Bengal. Further, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata have been set up by the Government to provide super specialty cancer care.

Under National Health Mission (NHM), National Free Drugs Initiative and Free Diagnostic Services ensure essential medicines and diagnostics at public health facilities, reducing out-ofpocket expenses. Anti-cancer drugs are included in the Essential Drugs List at District and SubDivisional Hospitals under National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCDs).

Treatment of major NCDs including Cancer treatment are available under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (AB PMJAY). This scheme provides for Rs. 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitilization in the empanelled public and private hospitals. The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) and Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacies improve access to affordable cancer medicines, stents, and implants, reducing out-of-pocket expenses and supporting long-term treatment adherence

## ANNEXURE-I

| Estimated Incidence sites   |    2021 |    2022 |    2023 |    2024 |    2025 |
|-----------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| Jammu &Kashmir              |   11683 |   11764 |   11869 |   11946 |   12024 |
| Ladakh                      |     260 |     261 |     262 |     262 |     262 |
| Himachal pradesh            |    7885 |    7924 |    7959 |    8001 |    8041 |
| Punjab                      |   23129 |   23276 |   23420 |   23573 |   23719 |
| Chandigarh                  |     979 |     992 |     997 |    1006 |    1014 |
| Uttarakhand                 |   12172 |   12298 |   12420 |   12552 |   12678 |
| Haryana                     |   31505 |   31896 |   32282 |   32671 |   33059 |
| Delhi                       |   24878 |   25591 |   26328 |   27120 |   27935 |
| Rajasthan                   |   80761 |   84041 |   87535 |   91208 |   92175 |
| Uttar pradesh               |  235153 |  244583 |  254579 |  265167 |  267823 |
| Bihar                       |  120159 |  121945 |  123731 |  125522 |  127306 |
| Sikkim                      |     565 |     573 |     583 |     597 |     607 |
| Arunachal pradesh           |     659 |     663 |     668 |     675 |     677 |
| Nagaland                    |    2240 |    2257 |    2268 |    2288 |    2314 |
| Manipur                     |    2062 |    2146 |    2214 |    2300 |    2373 |
| Mizoram                     |    1894 |    1943 |    1991 |    2048 |    2093 |
| Tripura                     |    3122 |    3253 |    3407 |    3557 |    3605 |
| Meghalaya                   |    2834 |    2918 |    3004 |    3105 |    3128 |
| Assam                       |   45365 |   47292 |   49349 |   51553 |   52027 |
| West bengal                 |   95586 |   96058 |   96529 |   97004 |   97472 |
| Jharkhand                   |   37571 |   38054 |   38539 |   39022 |   39507 |
| Orissa                      |   44572 |   44861 |   45148 |   45426 |   45714 |
| Chattisgarh                 |   30054 |   31289 |   32600 |   33988 |   34372 |
| Madhya pradesh              |   86126 |   89737 |   93560 |   97621 |   98759 |
| Gujarat                     |   65609 |   67611 |   69687 |   71873 |   72759 |
| Daman                       |     442 |     498 |     557 |     607 |     650 |
| Dadra &Nagar Haveli         |     580 |     639 |     691 |     744 |     789 |
| Maharashtra                 |  116666 |  119687 |  122857 |  126173 |  127139 |
| Telangana                   |   42087 |   43786 |   45599 |   47522 |   47751 |
| Andhra pradesh              |   58914 |   61212 |   63664 |   66268 |   66503 |
| Karnataka                   |   74573 |   77710 |   81043 |   84585 |   85110 |
| Goa                         |    1463 |    1495 |    1535 |    1571 |    1581 |
| Lakshadweep                 |      67 |      71 |      77 |      84 |      84 |
| Kerala                      |   76384 |   80042 |   83945 |   88118 |   88471 |
| Tamil nadu                  |   81396 |   85215 |   89314 |   93731 |   95100 |
| Puducherry                  |    1771 |    1879 |    1995 |    2112 |    2158 |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands   |     445 |     459 |     480 |     499 |     499 |
| India                       | 1421611 | 1465919 | 1512686 | 1562099 | 1577278 |