320 New PG Medical Seats Approved for Himachal
The Centre has approved 320 new postgraduate medical seats for six government medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh, Union Health Minister JP Nadda announced on October 24. The approval comes with a central grant of around Rs 415 crore.
Nadda linked the decision to the Modi government's broader push to expand medical education. He said the new seats would allow young people from Himachal to pursue advanced medical studies at home and would help the state build a larger base of specialist doctors.
The Himachal government had sent the proposal on June 23. The issue was discussed with the Chief Minister on October 6, on the occasion of the convocation at AIIMS Bilaspur. Following this process, the Centre has cleared all 320 proposed seats.
The seats will be distributed across Shimla (91), Tanda (57), Hamirpur (57), Mandi (55), Nahan (32) and Chamba (28). The expansion is expected to add specialists in areas such as surgery, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and cancer care.
The health minister urged the state government to take the necessary steps to start these seats on schedule so that students receive the benefit without delay.
The approval is part of a Rs 15,000 crore plan to create 10,000 new undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats across India over the next five years. Himachal's 320 PG seats are part of this plan.
Nadda also called for quicker action on other central projects in the state. These include the Chandigarh-Baddi and Bhanupalli-Bilaspur rail lines, where state contributions and pending land issues need early solutions. Work on critical care blocks and public health laboratories, built with central support, must also be accelerated.
He said development work affecting the welfare of Himachal's people should not be held up. He added that the Centre remains fully committed to strengthening medical education, healthcare and basic infrastructure in the state, with the aim of ensuring the development of Himachal and the welfare of every family.