In order to meet the shortage of nurses in the country, the central government has approved establishment of 137 General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) Schools under the Scheme of Upgradation and Strengthening of Nursing Services (Human Resource for Health) Scheme in the high focus states like Bihar, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, North Eastern States, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and other districts in the country preferably which do not have General Nursing and Midwifery schools.

The schools will be opened in these states at a total cost of Rs 1370 crore with a cost sharing pattern of 85:15 between the Central Government and States. The expenditure on the part of Central Government would be Rs 1164.50 crore and the states are to contribute Rs 205.50 crore.

This is expected to increase the availability of trained nursing manpower and improve the quality of nursing education in the backward and special category states of the country. This would also facilitate improvement in the quality of Nursing services in the Hospitals.

Besides, the Centre has also approved setting up of 132 Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) Schools under this scheme in the high focus states like Bihar, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, North Eastern States, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and other districts in the country preferably which do not have Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery schools.

The schools will be opened in these states at a total cost of Rs 660 crore with a cost sharing pattern of 85:15 between the Central Government and the States. The expenditure on the part of Central Government would be Rs 561 crore and the States will contribute Rs 99 crore.

The effective implementation of the scheme is expected to increase the availability of trained nursing manpower and to improve the quality of nursing education in the backward and special category States of the country. This would also facilitate improvement in the quality of nursing services in the Hospitals.

The decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on March 5, 2010.