PMSSY (Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana)
The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) Scheme is a healthcare programme from the Government of India that envisions the creation of tertiary healthcare services encompassing clinical care, medical education and research across India, keeping the needs of underserved regions of the country. This programme would help to narrow the imbalances that exist in the availability and delivery of healthcare services, including medical education and research.
Objectives of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
The two main objectives of the PMSSY are the following:
- Setting up premier medical institutes, AIIMS, that deliver quality healthcare services in underrepresented states of India. AIIMS would also develop education technology to impart medical knowledge through effective designing and planning of teaching, curriculum and faculty development and undertaking research in medical education
- Converting existing Government Medical Colleges into super speciality healthcare centres alongside delivering quality medical education and undertaking medical research
In meeting these two main objectives, the government would endeavour to remove the imbalances that the country has witnessed regarding the availability of quality healthcare services, medical education, and research across India.
Key features of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
Keeping in mind the objectives of PMSSY, the two key features are:
- Creation of new AIIMS
- Upgrading Government Medical Colleges
Creation of New AIIMS
The new AIIMS would include the following features:
- Modern and contemporary diagnostic services infrastructure and modular state-of-the-art operation theatres
- Up to 20 super speciality departments
- Ultramodern hospitals, with up to 960-bed capacity
- Capacity to educate 100 MBBS undergraduate students
- Capacity to educate 60 Nursing undergraduate students
- Postgraduate education and research to be given prime focus
The current status of AIIMS is as follows:
- The number of AIIMS approved is 22
- The number of AIIMS functional is 6
Government Medical College and Other Institutions Upgrades
The upgrades of Government Medical Colleges (GMC) and other medical institutions would encompass the following:
- Each GMC would need to create 8-10 super speciality departments
- Each GMC would need to create a capacity for 15 new PG seats
- Each GMC would need to create 150-250-bed hospitals
The program includes 75 projects, spread across five phases, for establishing new AIIMS institutes and upgrading existing government medical colleges.

Phases Under PMSSY
The implementation of the projects to upgrade 75 GMCs and other medical institutions have been taken up under Phase I to Phase V, which are as follows:
- Phase I and II – 19 GMCs
- Phase III – 39 GMCs
- Phase IV - 13 GMCs
- Phase V (A) - 2 GMCs
- Phase V (B) - 2 GMCs
As far as the status of these projects is concerned, some projects under the different phases are completed, and some are in process.
First phase and second phase
The 19 GMC projects under Phase I and II have been completed in 14 states of Andhra Pradesh (1), Gujarat (1), Haryana (1), Himachal Pradesh (1), Jammu & Kashmir (2), Jharkhand (1), Karnataka (1), Kerala (1), Maharashtra (2), Punjab (1), Tamil Nadu (2), Telangana (1), Uttar Pradesh (3) and West Bengal (1).
Of these, the GMC projects in Andhra Pradesh (1), Gujarat (1), and Maharashtra (2) involve only equipment procurement.
Third phase
The third phase programme is spread out all across the country and comprises projects with the Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences project in Bellary, Karnataka setting up a 149-bed hospital (the lowest bed strength in the Phase III GMCs) and the Goa Medical College, Panaji, Goa setting up a 527-bed hospital (the highest bed strength in the Phase III GMCs), both of which have completed the project as per the guidelines.
The distribution of 39 GMC projects shows that 36 projects have been completed, while 3 projects are under progress. The 36 completed GMC projects are located in Andhra Pradesh (2), Assam (2), Goa (1), Gujarat (1), Himachal Pradesh (1), Jharkhand (1), Karnataka (2), Kerala (2), Madhya Pradesh (3), Maharashtra (4), Odisha (1), Punjab (1), Rajasthan (3), Tamil Nadu (2), Telangana (2), Tripura (1), Uttar Pradesh (4) and West Bengal (3).
The three under-progress GMC projects are in Bihar (2) and Odisha (1).
Fourth phase
There are 13 GMC projects under Phase IV. Of these, 6 GMC projects are completed in the states of Uttar Pradesh (1), Gujarat (1), Madhya Pradesh (1), Rajasthan (1) and Bihar (2).
The balance 7 GMC projects are under progress in the states of Uttar Pradesh (1), Odisha (1), Gujarat (1), Bihar (1), Chhattisgarh (2) and Delhi (1).
Fifth phase
In Phase V (A), 2 GMCs have been taken up and the status is as follows:
The IMS BHU project in Uttar Pradesh has been completed, providing the following facilities as per the guidelines under the scheme:
- A 430-bed hospital, which offers 360 super speciality beds, 70 ICU beds, 13 OTs and 13 super speciality departments
- Facilities for the intake of 60 PG seats have been created
The SCTIMST project in Trivandrum in Kerala is in progress, and the facilities to be provided include the following:
- A 170-bed hospital, which offers 90 super speciality beds, 80 ICU beds, 8 OTs and 05 super speciality departments
- Facilities for the intake of 25 PG seats have been created
In Phase V (B), 2 GMCs have been taken up, and the status is as follows:
- The RIO at IMS project in BHU in Uttar Pradesh has been completed.
- The IGIMS project in Patna, Bihar, is under progress.
Benefits of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana benefits are several and they include the following:
- In line with the objective of providing the best healthcare to all the citizens in underserved areas, 22 AIIMS have been approved, of which 6 are already functional, and the rest are in various stages of development.
- A wider cross-section of people in underserved areas can now hope to receive healthcare services of the standards available at AIIMS, Delhi.
- Around 75 Government Medical Colleges have been infused with funds to convert them into centres of high-quality healthcare service.
- A majority of these GMCs have already been completed in almost all states and only a handful are under progress.
- High-quality medical education and research are now available through the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana to students aspiring to become doctors and nurses closer to their homes.
The union government is footing the bill of around Rs. 820 crore per AIIMS, comprising Rs. 620 crore for construction and Rs 200 crore for equipment. The GMC project cost of Rs. 150 - 200 crore is partly funded by states between Rs. 30 - 80 crore and the balance is funded by the union government.
Documents Required For PMSSY
Documents required for PMSSY would include:
- Memorandum of Understanding of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) with the state governments
- Memorandum of Association between the MoHFW and the executing agency
- Bhan Committee Report on restructuring organisational set-up for new AIIMS
- Challenge Method criteria for finalisation of AIIMS site etc.
FAQ's
What is the nodal ministry for PMSSY?
The nodal ministry for PMSSY is the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the union government.
When did PMSSY start?
PMSSY was conceived in 2003 and launched in 2006.