West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the Centre has approved over ₹2103 crore under the National Health Mission
May 23, 2026: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday said the Centre had sanctioned ₹2103 crore for the state under the National Health Mission (NHM) for the current financial year. According to Adhikari, nearly ₹500 crore from the sanctioned amount was released to the state on Saturday. He added that the Centre also approved its share of ₹973 crore under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, where the Centre bears 60% of the cost and the state contributes 40%.
Adhikari said he had requested Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda to release pending NHM funds for 2023-24 and 2024-25. He claimed the earlier government had failed to submit utilisation certificates for previous years, delaying the release of funds. The chief minister also announced that Ayushman Bharat is expected to be rolled out in West Bengal from July, potentially benefiting more than 60 million people currently covered under the Swasthya Sathi scheme.
The chief minister further said the government plans to establish medical colleges in every district and submit proposals for a new AIIMS in north Bengal. He also highlighted concerns regarding shortages of doctors and healthcare staff, stating that only 53% of sanctioned healthcare posts in the state are currently filled. Adhikari added that special focus would be given to districts with high child mortality and leprosy cases, while proposals have also been sent to establish hundreds of PM Janaushadhi Kendras across the state.