Context:
• PMSSY is a flagship health infrastructure augmentation programme launched in 2006 to correct regional imbalances in tertiary healthcare and increase availability of quality medical education.
Key Highlights:
- Objective & Components
- Reduce intra-State & inter-State disparities in tertiary care access.
- Establish new AIIMS-like institutions (Greenfield).
- Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges / Institutions (GMCs) by improving super-speciality blocks, equipment & infrastructure.
- Status / Coverage
- 22 AIIMS sanctioned (various phases).
- Upgradation of 75+ Govt. Medical Colleges notified (phased).
- Ministry – Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
• Funding – Cost Norms differ by phase (75:25 centre:state in many GMC upgrade cases).
Relevant Prelims Points:
- PMSSY focuses on infrastructure creation – not individual insurance financing (→ NOT demand-side financing like PM-JAY).
- Improves super-speciality capacity → cardiology / oncology / neurosurgery etc.
- PMSSY pre-dates Ayushman Bharat and is a supply-side push.
Relevant Mains Points:
- Addresses healthcare regional inequality – crucial for SDG-3.
- Builds AIIMS grid → supports research, telemedicine, human resource creation.
- Way Forward: integrate AIIMS network with National Digital Health Mission, push PPP in diagnostics, reduce construction delays.