Narendra Modi-led Centre adopting a holistic and inclusive approach in addressing public health issues: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (June 20, 2025) said the health sector in the country had seen a “remarkable transformation” in the last 11 years with the Centre adopting a “holistic and inclusive” approach in addressing public health issues.

Speaking after inaugurating the Bengaluru campus of Adichunchanagiri University and BGS Medical College and Hospital in Bengaluru North Taluk, Mr. Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the health sector has significantly benefited the people, especially the marginalised and weaker sections of society.

High cost of treatment

“The Prime Minister had said in Gujarat 26 years ago that the main challenge faced by the poor is illness and the high cost of treatment. The administration has to make healthcare accessible to the poor. I can say with pride today that after becoming the Prime Minister, Mr. Modi fulfilled this promise by providing 60 crore people from the poor and weaker sections of society with free medical treatment of up to ₹5 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat scheme,” Mr. Shah said, adding that health has been addressed holistically.

“While toilets for 12 crore households have been built, the Fit India Movement was launched to inculcate a healthy lifestyle among people. Various other initiatives such as International Yoga Day, Mission Indradhanush to provide free vaccinations and Poshan Abhiyan to provide care for mothers and children were introduced. Through the promotion of generic medicines, people are now able to buy medicines at just 20%  of their original cost at 15,000 outlets,” he said.

The Union Minister pointed out that the number of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have grown from seven in 2014 to 23 now and medical colleges from 387 to 780 in the country. MBBS seats have increased from 51,000 to 1.80 lakh, and postgraduate medical seats from 31,000 to 74,000. “This means 1.18 lakh new MBBS doctors and 74,000 postgraduate doctors are graduating every year, compared to just 50,000 earlier,” he noted.

State’s medical education

Karnataka’s Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said the State has the highest number of Medical Education seats in the country. “There are 70 medical colleges in the State, including 24 government colleges,” he said.

“Allowing private participation in Medical Education was a landmark decision. By establishing engineering colleges, we created an ecosystem that helped Bengaluru emerge as the IT capital. However, there is still a shortage of doctors. Around 24 lakh students appear for NEET each year, competing for only one lakh seats,” he said. “India must promote the establishment of more medical colleges, and I have conveyed this to Mr. Amit Shah.”

Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V. Somanna, Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji of the Adichunchanagiri Math apart from other politicians and seers were present.