Free Medical Facilities in Tribal Areas

Press Information Bureau 
Government of India
Ministry of Tribal Affairs
07-January-2019 18:06 IST
Free Medical Facilities in Tribal Areas 
Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), now called as Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) at Central level and Tribal Sub-Scheme (TSS) at State level is dedicated source of fund for tribal development across the country.Major part of infrastructure development in tribal dominated areas and provision of basic amenities to tribal people in the country including provision of medical facilities is carried out through various schemes / programmes of concerned Central Ministries and the State Governments, while the Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides additive to these initiatives by way of plugging gaps.“Public Health & hospital” being a State subject, the primary responsibility of setting up of government hospitals in the tribal areas is that of respective State/ UT governments.

Free+Medical+Facilities+in+Tribal+Areas

Ministry of Tribal Affairs through its schemes ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS)’, Grant-in-Aid to voluntary Organisations and Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution provides funds to the State Governments as an additive based on their proposal after approval of Project Appraisal Committee in the Ministry. Statement showing funds provided to the State Governments having Schedule-V areas by MoTA under the said schemes for provision of medical facilities including mobile medical unit / dispensaries is given below.

Besides, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through the scheme ‘National Health Mission (NHM)’ wherein Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) funds have been earmarked, provides support to States for strengthening their healthcare system including for upgradation of existing and setting up new public health infrastructure based on requirements posed by the States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans. Total amount of TSP funds provided to the States during 2014-15 to 2018-19 is given below:
Year Funds Provided to States under NHM

(Rs. in crore)
2014-15 1885.83
2015-16 2038.64
2016-17 106.12
2017-18 2402.78
2018-19 2032.00
Under NHM, tribal areas enjoy relaxed norms for setting up public health facilitiesincluding “time to care” norm for setting up sub health Centres in tribal areas within 30 minutes of walk from habitation and relaxed norm for Mobile Medical Units for tribal areas one MMU exceeds 30 patients per day against 60 patients per day in plain areas for bringing healthcare delivery to the doorsteps of the population.Details of medical facilities in the States having Schedule-V Areas including Rajasthan available through mobile units are at Annexure 2. 

Funds approved/released for provision of health
services / medical facilities under Grants under
Art.275(1) of the Constitution& SCA to TSS during
last three years in respect of the States having
Schedule-V Areas(as on 31.12.2018)
(Rs. in lakh)
S N State 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
1 Andhra Pradesh 0.00 1016.76 233.00 1135.00
2 Chhattisgarh 240.00 507.00 300.00 0.00
3 Gujarat 52.00 0.00 986.70 0.00
4 Himachal Pradesh 0.00 461.00 978.40 570.90
5 Jharkhand 1400.00 925.00 50.00 6419.63
6 Madhya Pradesh 2721.02 5101.07 2037.35 3175.00
7 Maharashtra 0.00 2000.00 9262.40 3037.53
8 Odisha 114.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
9 Rajasthan 1309.59 2510.98 301.00 1943.00
10 Telangana 0.00 0.00 420.15 1200.00
Total 8153.33 18566.52 21603.63 23576.51

Funds Released Under The Scheme of ‘Grant-In-Aid To Voluntary Organisation Working For The Welfare Of Scheduled Tribes’ For Mobile Dispensary Project during 2015-16 To 2017-18in respect of the States having Schedule-V Areas

(Rs. In lakh)
S.No. State 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
1. Andhra Pradesh 12.77 19.17 18.62
2. Gujarat 0 45.25 31.23
3. Jharkhand 34.85 56.93 96.75
4. Madhya Pradesh 6.68 6.57 0.00
5. Odisha 23.41 29.23 29.19
Total 286.27 338.8 496.74
Annexure 2
Details of medical facilities in the States having Schedule-V Areas through mobile units under National Health Mission (NHM)
Status as on 30th June 2018
Action Point
Rajasthan Odisha Madhya Pradesh Jharkhand Himachal Pradesh Chattisgarh Andhra Pradesh Gujarat Maharashtra Telangana
Number of Districts

equipped with
Mobile Medical Unit under NRHM
34
0
43
24
0
0
13
17
34
0
Any other Referral Service
34
30
0
24
0
27
0
0
0
0
Mobile Medical/Health Units under NUHM
4
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
Any other Refferal service
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Number of MMUs/MMVs operational in the States/UTs Under
NRHM
202
0
144
100
0
0
52
61
40
0
Number of MMUs/MHUsin the States/UTs Under NUHM
4
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Number of ERS vehicles operational in the States/UTs

Under NHM
102-Type
0
490
735
0
126
362
0
0
2674
0
104-Type
587
1
15
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
108-Type
730
470
606
210
200
239
439
585
937
316
Others
0
0
0
2581
0
0
0
0
0
0
Total
1317
961
1356
2791
326
602
439
585
3611
316
Number of Ambulances functioning in the State/UTs other
than NHM

(At PHC/CHC/SDH/DH)
363
276
0
271
138
400
0
1510
3442
362

Source: NHM:
http://nhm.gov.in/New_Updates_2018/Quarterly_MIS/June-2018/High_Focus_States_Non_NE.pdf

NRHM – National Rural Health Mission, NUHM – National Urban Health Mission, MMV – Mobile Medical Vehicles,

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Jaswantsinh Bhabhor in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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