Lok Sabha Question No. 1240 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Quality of Healthcare Services in Remote Areas
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Tharaniventhan M S

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1240 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH FEBRUARY, 2026

## QUALITY OFHEALTHCARE SERVICES IN REMOTE AREAS

## 1240. SHRI THARANIVENTHAN M S:

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

(a) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of the availability and quality of healthcare facilities in remote, hilly and tribal areas of the country;

(b) if so, the details of the findings, including gaps in primary healthcare, availability of doctors, specialists and paramedical staff;

(c) whether the Government is implementing schemes to strengthen Sub-Centres, PHCs and CHCs in tribal regions, especially under the National Health Mission (NHM), if so, the details thereof;

(d) the steps taken by the Government to improve access to emergency care, maternal healthcare and treatment for communicable diseases in tribal and hard-to-reach habitations across the country, State-wise especially in Tamil Nadu; and

(e) the measures being adopted by the Government to enhance telemedicine, mobile medical units and digital health infrastructure in these areas to reduce disparities in healthcare delivery?

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

(a) to (e): Under National Health Mission (NHM), the performance of various health programmes is regularly assessed in the country including remote, hilly and tribal areas, through review meetings, mid term reviews of key deliverables, field visits of senior officials, promoting performance by setting up benchmarks for service delivery & rewarding achievements etc. Common Review Missions (CRM) are conducted annually to assess and monitor the progress and implementation status of various schemes.

Health Dynamics of India (HDI) (Infrastructure & Human Resources), 2022-23 is an annual publication, based on healthcare administrative data reported by States/UTs. Details of availability of healthcare facilities and specialized human resources & gaps in the country including remote, hilly and tribal areas, State/UT-wise, may be seen at the following link of HDI 2022-23:

## https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Health%20Dynamics%20of%20India%20%28Infrastr ucture%20%26%20Human%20Resources%29%202022-23\_RE%20%281%29.pdf

The National Health Mission (NHM) provides support for improvement in health infrastructure, availability of adequate human resources in health facilities, to improve availability and accessibility to quality healthcare especially for the under-served and marginalized groups in rural areas and tribal regions. This Ministry provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under NHM.

A total of 1.82 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) have been established and operationalized in the country by strengthening Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs), including 30,817 AAMs in 178 tribal districts, which deliver expanded range of comprehensive primary healthcare services encompassing preventive, promotive, palliative, rehabilitative, and curative care.

Under NHM, norms have been relaxed for tribal/hilly/hard-to-reach areas to strengthen healthcare access. Population criteria for setting up of Sub Health Centres (SHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) have been reduced to 3,000, 20,000 and 80,000 respectively. One Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) is allowed per habitation instead of per 1,000 population, and up to 4 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) per district are permitted in tribal and hard-to-reach areas, compared to 2 in plain districts.

The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) with an outlay of Rs.64,180 crore aims to provide support for infrastructure development for SubHealth Centres, Urban Health and Wellness Centres, Support for Block Public Health Units, Integrated District Public Health Laboratories (IPHLs) and Critical Care Hospital Blocks (CCBs) which provides emergency & critical care services in the country. 168 IPHL and 110 CCBs have been approved in the tribal districts under PM-ABHIM.

The Government is making sustained efforts to ensure universal health coverage for tribal women across the country, including in Tamilnadu, through the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child, Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) strategy under NHM, focusing on antenatal care, institutional deliveries, post-natal care and family planning services; Promotion of institutional deliveries through schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK); Regular outreach activities, health education and screening by ASHAs and other frontline workers in tribal habitations.

The teleconsultation services, available at all operational AAMs across the country including tribal regions, enables people to access the specialist services closer to their homes addressing concerns of physical accessibility, shortage of service providers and to facilitate continuum of care. Total teleconsultations conducted at AAMs are 42.66 crore, as on 31.12.2025.

Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) are supported under NHM to provide outreach services in remote villages with difficult terrain which are underserved and inaccessible. As per NHM-

MIS report, a total of 1477 MMUs have been deployed across the country including Tamilnadu, as on 30.06.2025.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), launched on 15th November, 2023 by MoTA, further relaxation in NHM norms has been provided up to 10 MMUs per district with Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) areas. Norms have been relaxed for one additional Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) for each Multi Purpose Centre (MPC) constructed by MoTA. As per MMU portal, 763 MMUs under PMJANMAN and 155 MMUs under Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) are operational across the country for providing basic health services in tribal areas till 31.12.2025.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to create an online platform enabling interoperability of health data within the health ecosystem to create longitudinal electronic health record of every citizen, make healthcare accessible for citizens including reducing the cost of care and enabling greater efficiencies in health service delivery between public and private Health care institutions.

*****