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Free Medical Facilities in Tribal Areas

The Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), now known as Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) at Central level and Tribal Sub-Scheme (TSS) at State level is a dedicated source of fund for tribal development across the country.

Chander Mohan

The Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), now known as Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) at Central level and Tribal Sub-Scheme (TSS) at State level is a dedicated source of fund for tribal development across the country. A major part of infrastructure development in tribal-dominated areas and provision of basic amenities to tribal people in India including the 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. 

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 the 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 facilities including “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 

Andhra Pradesh 

0.00 

1016.76 

233.00 

1135.00 

Chhattisgarh 

240.00 

507.00 

300.00 

0.00 

Gujarat 

52.00 

0.00 

986.70 

0.00 

Himachal Pradesh 

0.00 

461.00 

978.40 

570.90 

Jharkhand 

1400.00 

925.00 

50.00 

6419.63 

Madhya Pradesh 

2721.02 

5101.07 

2037.35 

3175.00 

Maharashtra 

0.00 

2000.00 

9262.40 

3037.53 

Odisha 

114.00 

0.00 

0.00 

0.00 

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 

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 

Raja
sthan
 

Odi
sha
 

Madhya Pradesh 

Jharkhand 

Hima
chal Pra
desh
 

Chat
tisg
arh
 

Andhra Pradesh 

Gujarat 

Maharashtra 

Telangana 

Number of Districts 
equipped with 

Mobile Medical Unit under NRHM 

34 

43 

24 

13 

17 

34 

Any other Referral Service 

34 

30 

24 

27 

Mobile Medical/Health Units under NUHM 

Any other Refferal service 

Number of MMUs/MMVs operational in the States/UTs Under NRHM 

202 

144 

100 

52 

61 

40 

Number of MMUs/MHUsin the States/UTs Under NUHM 

Number of ERS vehicles operational in the States/UTs 
Under NHM 

102-Type 

490 

735 

126 

362 

2674 

104-Type 

587 

15 

108-Type 

730 

470 

606 

210 

200 

239 

439 

585 

937 

316 

Others 

2581 

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 

271 

138 

400 

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. 

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