Rs 2 lakh cr spent under PM-JAY: Prez
New Delhi, Oct 6: The Centre aims to add 75,000 undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats by 2029, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda said on Tuesday, while President Droupadi Murmu highlighted that more than Rs 2 lakh crore has been spent on treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
Addressing the first convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bilaspur, Nadda said Rs 15,000 crore had been allocated for creating 10,000 additional MBBS and postgraduate medical seats, as the government seeks to expand medical education and strengthen healthcare delivery across the country.
Nadda said the number of medical colleges in India had increased from 384 to more than 800, while undergraduate medical seats had risen from 51,348 to 1.42 lakh. He also highlighted the expansion of the AIIMS network, stating that 16 new AIIMS had been established over the past 12 years.
President Murmu, who conferred degrees on the institute’s first graduating batch, underscored the role of PM-JAY in reducing the financial burden of healthcare on economically vulnerable families. Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries receive health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family annually.
She urged stakeholders to ensure that information about healthcare protection schemes reaches people in remote and far-flung areas. She also called on leading medical institutions such as AIIMS to develop basic, cost-effective healthcare solutions.
Emphasising the importance of compassion and public service in medicine, Murmu told the graduating students to keep people’s needs at the centre of their professional work, particularly those living in remote and inaccessible areas with limited access to specialised treatment.
Given AIIMS Bilaspur’s geographical location, she asked the institute and its graduates to strengthen tertiary healthcare in the region through telemedicine, expert consultations, training of medical personnel and the use of modern technology.
“The field of medicine is not just a field of science and technology. It is actually a field of compassion and trust as well,” the President said, urging the graduates to uphold the reputation of the institution through their conduct, commitment and service.
Nadda said AIIMS Bilaspur had expanded beyond its initial target of 750 beds and now had 776 beds, with 26 specialties and 15 super-specialties fully functional. The institute has developed facilities for complex surgeries, cardiac catheterisation, neurosurgery, cancer care and radiotherapy within five years of its establishment.
Its outpatient department consultations have crossed 12 lakh, while inpatient admissions have exceeded one lakh over the past four years, he said.
Expressing confidence in the institute’s continued growth, Nadda said AIIMS Bilaspur would soon be at par with other AIIMS in the country. He urged the graduating students to uphold the institution’s values of excellence and service and contribute to improving healthcare for the people.
Governor of Himachal Pradesh Kavinder Gupta also congratulated the graduates, highlighting the institute’s role in bringing specialised healthcare closer to people in Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring states, particularly those in remote and tribal areas.
He said AIIMS Bilaspur was contributing to healthcare, education and research while strengthening Himachal Pradesh’s position in the health sector.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also extended his best wishes to the graduating students and the institute.
A total of 92 students received degrees at the convocation, including 43 MBBS graduates, 26 BSc Honours Nursing graduates, nine BSc Allied Healthcare graduates and 14 MD/MS students. The President also presented gold medals to meritorious students across disciplines.
AIIMS Bilaspur began its academic activities with the first MBBS batch in January 2021 and was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2022. The institute has since expanded its academic, clinical and research capabilities, emerging as a major centre for specialised healthcare in the region.
