Healthcare facilities remain a top public service priority of the government. A wide spectrum of hospital projects is being executed by the Health & Medical Education Department to improve healthcare facilities in Jammu and Kashmir. The government has decided to fund the construction of a 249-bed Mother and Child Care Hospital at GMC, Anantnag, under UT Capex, with a revised DPR. Directions have been issued for the transfer of ITI land to facilitate hospital expansion at GMC, Udhampur. The government has decided to push Infrastructure works at GMC, Rajouri. Directions have also been issued to expedite critical tertiary care infrastructure projects at SKIMS, Soura, and SKIMS Medical College, Bemina. Under Health Services, the 100-bed Mother and Child Care Hospital at Lamberi (Rajouri), the upgradation of SDH, Billawar to 100 beds, the 50-bed Hospital at Sunderbani, the upgradation of the 100-bed hospital at Nowshera, and the 125-bed District Hospital at Reshipora, Budgam are being developed on a fast-track basis. These projects will significantly strengthen secondary and district-level healthcare services across Jammu and Kashmir. Under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment, 23 works have received financial approval, of which 13 are under execution. During the current financial year, an amount of ₹34.98 crore has been released under Capex and SASCI, with works worth over ₹20 crore already executed. Under ECRP-II, projects worth ₹178.32 crore are in different stages. The J&K government has operationalised all 523 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Ayush) across the UT. The government has also commissioned a 50-bed Integrated Ayush Hospital at Chawalgam, Kulgam. An amount of Rs 105 lakh has been approved under SAAP for the completion of allied works, including landscaping, herbal garden development, and other facilities, besides manpower support. Eighty percent work has been completed at the 50-bed Integrated Ayush Hospital at Billawar, Kathua. Similarly, the 10-bed Integrated Ayush Hospital at Gadhi Garh, Jammu, has been made operational in the building of the Sub-Centre Lower Gadhi Garh. Jammu and Kashmir is fast becoming a hub for medical education. The National Medical Commission has allotted an additional 128 MD/MS seats, 46 DNB seats, and 2 DM/MCh seats for Jammu and Kashmir. Medical colleges are looking at adding 284 MD/MS, 35 DNB, and 36 DM/MCh seats in the 2026–27 academic session. NMC has already sanctioned 50 additional MBBS seats for GMCs at Anantnag, Baramulla, Rajour, and Doda. Twenty seats each have been added to GMC, Srinagar, and GMC, Jammu. The government deserves kudos for augmenting the infrastructure. However, the buildings and machines need manpower to run. The government needs to augment its workforce as well. Doctors and paramedics should be hired on a fast-track basis so that the benefits of the infrastructure development could trickle down to the lowest denominator of society. Like other states, the government should also announce a healthcare scheme that will complement the AB-PMJAY. It will go a long way in helping the poor starta of the society.
Healthcare infra
