Cabinet approves continuation of PMSSY beyond 12th Five Year Plan to 2019-20

In a major boost to expansion of health care infrastructure in the country, the Union Cabinet today approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) beyond 12th Five Year Plan to 2019-20.

The PMSSY, which is a central sector scheme, aims at correcting the imbalances in the availability of affordable tertiary health care facilities in different parts of the country in general, and augmenting facilities for quality medical education in the under-served states in particular.

The financial outlay for this purpose is Rs 14,832 crore. Under this scheme, new All India Institute of Medical Science are established and government medical colleges are upgraded, an official statement said.

Setting up of new AIIMS would not only transform health education and training, but also address the shortfall of health care professionals in the region. The construction of new AIIMS is fully-funded by the central government.

Setting up new AIIMS in various states will also lead to employment generation for nearly 3,000 people in various faculty and non-faculty posts in each of the institutes.

The upgradation programme is carried out in selected government medical colleges (GMCs) by agencies appointed by the Government of India under the direct supervision of the central government.

The post-graduate seats and additional faculty posts as per norms will be created and filled up in these GMCs by the respective state/Union Territories governments.