The Union health ministry has embarked a programme to strengthen the healthcare and medical education institutions in India. For this purpose, the central government has proposed financial supportive schemes with appropriate share between the central government and the state governments.

With a view to upgrade and further strengthen medical education institutions, the central government is planning to push its share of funds to the state government medical colleges across the country.

As the medical education is under concurrent list, the funds for development and up gradation of state and central government medical education establishments will be shared among both the centre and the state.

As part of this, the central government has decided to administer its share of funds under four important categories which include strengthening and upgradation of state and central government medical colleges for starting new post graduate (PG) disciplines and increasing PG seats, to establish new medical colleges attached with district or referral hospitals and to upgrade existing state and central government medical colleges for increased MBBS intake under Pradhan Mantri Swathya Suraksha Yojana programme.

For starting new Post Graduate (PG) disciplines and increasing PG seats, the central government has agreed to provide 75 per cent of its share, while the state government will have to bear the remaining 25 per cent share for development of required infrastructure, faculty and equipment. For this, the centre initially has allocated Rs.299 crore in the current year.

For establishment of new medical colleges, the central government will bear 90 per cent share for North Eastern (NE) and special category states whereas for other states it will give 75 per cent share of the total cost. The remaining cost will be borne by the state governments. In this category central government has initially allocated Rs.147 crore to the states.

For increasing MBBS seats in the country, the centre has released Rs.327 crore as its initial share. Even in this category the NE and special category states will have to bear 10 per cent cost while 90 per cent will be borne by state government. For other states union government will bear 70 per cent and remaining 30 per cent will be borne by the state.

“So far the central government had identified 58 government medical colleges and institutions across different states and very soon these colleges will be upgraded under Pradhan Mantri Swathya Suraksha Yojana,” informed a source in the health ministry.