In a timely move that could significantly strengthen the state’s healthcare infrastructure, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved ₹23.22 crore in supplementary funding for Punjab under the National Health Mission (NHM) for the financial year 2025–26. The allocation, while part of an annual review and support mechanism for states, is being viewed as critical in light of rising health demands, recent rural protests, and post-pandemic policy recalibrations.
The additional funds were sanctioned following detailed state-level assessments and align with Punjab’s proposals for enhancing maternal and child healthcare, upgrading primary health centers (PHCs), and expanding digital health services under the Ayushman Bharat framework. According to senior health department officials in Chandigarh, the funding is expected to be disbursed in tranches and monitored under strict utilization norms.
Punjab’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh welcomed the move, calling it “a necessary shot in the arm” for the state’s overburdened healthcare system. “We are committed to ensuring that every rupee is spent on strengthening frontline health delivery,” he said in a statement, noting that several PHCs, community health centres (CHCs), and district hospitals will benefit directly through this financial support.
While NHM is a central initiative aimed at improving access to quality health services in rural and underprivileged areas, its success heavily depends on efficient state-level execution. In Punjab, the challenges are complex. While the state boasts relatively better health indices compared to some of its neighbors, it also grapples with growing non-communicable diseases, rising medical costs, infrastructure disparity between urban and rural areas, and an acute shortage of healthcare professionals in public hospitals.
This latest allocation comes at a pivotal moment for Punjab. Over the past few months, several rural communities have voiced grievances about poor medical facilities and alleged negligence by private players—incidents that led to boycotts and civil unrest in parts of Bathinda and Mansa. With public trust in government facilities on the line, the state is under pressure to rapidly scale up its health services.
Officials familiar with the funding breakdown indicated that a significant portion of the ₹23.22 crore will be earmarked for the expansion of telemedicine, procurement of diagnostic kits, ambulance services under 108/102, and improved health worker training under the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) scheme. Additionally, maternity wards and child nutrition programs are expected to receive a push, especially in high-risk blocks where maternal and infant mortality rates remain above the state average.
Public health analysts believe the funding, though modest compared to Punjab’s overall health budget, sends an encouraging signal from the Centre at a time when federal-state relations have been under scrutiny. “The supplementary allocation is important not just for the money but for what it symbolizes—continued engagement between the Union government and states in delivering health as a public good,” said Dr. Rajat Kumar, a health economist with the Centre for Policy Research.
Importantly, Punjab is also planning to integrate these funds with its broader Health Infrastructure Mission announced by the Bhagwant Mann-led government, which envisions digitized patient records, modernized dispensaries, and increased citizen feedback mechanisms by 2027.
In rural belts such as Muktsar, Sangrur, and Fazilka, health officers are already preparing action plans to absorb the funds effectively. “Our challenge is to ensure there’s no delay between fund release and implementation,” said Dr. Amandeep Kaur, a civil surgeon in Faridkot. “People are watching and expecting results.”
International health agencies and NGOs operating in Punjab have also expressed interest in collaborating with the state under NHM reforms. The World Health Organization’s South Asia regional team recently acknowledged Punjab’s pilot projects in school health programs and mental health outreach.
The Centre’s approval arrives with both opportunity and responsibility. For a state that is witnessing increasing public awareness about health rights and medical accountability, how this ₹23.22 crore is translated into on-ground outcomes will not only reflect on Punjab’s governance model but also shape the narrative around India’s ambitious National Health Mission.
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