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New Delhi, India – In response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India has implemented a series of comprehensive initiatives to bolster the nation’s healthcare infrastructure. Through a ‘Whole of Government’ approach, several key schemes have been launched to ensure the effective management and availability of sufficient healthcare resources to meet the increased demand during the pandemic.
One of the cornerstone initiatives is the Pradhan Mantri – Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), inaugurated on October 25, 2021. This mission, with a substantial outlay of ₹64,180 crore, aims to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance, and health research across both urban and rural areas. The scheme is designed to be implemented over five years, from 2021-22 to 2025-26, and is a centrally sponsored scheme with some central sector components.
The PM-ABHIM focuses on developing the capacities of health systems and institutions across all levels of care—primary, secondary, and tertiary. It prepares health systems to respond effectively to current and future pandemics and disasters. Under the scheme, support is provided to states and union territories (UTs) for constructing Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) in rural and urban areas, establishing and strengthening block public health units, integrated district public health labs in all districts, and critical care hospital blocks. Central sector components primarily support interventions that enhance capacities for surveillance and health emergency response, research, pandemic preparedness, and a One Health approach to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks in animals and humans.
In addition to PM-ABHIM, the India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package (ECRP-I) was approved by the Cabinet on April 22, 2020, with a financial outlay of ₹15,000 crore. This package aimed to prevent, detect, and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19. An amount of ₹8,473.73 crore has already been released to states and UTs under this scheme.
Further efforts to enhance the nation’s pandemic response capabilities were made through the ECRP, Phase-II, approved by the Cabinet on July 8, 2021, with a financial outlay of ₹23,123 crore. This phase includes both central sector and centrally sponsored scheme components. An amount of ₹12,740.22 crore has been released to states and UTs under the centrally sponsored scheme component. ECRP-II aims to accelerate health system preparedness for immediate responsiveness, early prevention, detection, and management of COVID-19, with a particular focus on health infrastructure development, including pediatric care.
These initiatives reflect the Government of India’s commitment to building a resilient healthcare system capable of managing the COVID-19 pandemic and any future health crises. The measures taken have significantly strengthened the public health infrastructure, ensuring that the country is better prepared to handle any future pandemics or outbreaks.
This information was provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha yesterday.
