The health and family welfare department has been allocated ₹24,753.72 crore in the Bengal budget tabled by finance minister Swapan Dasgupta on Monday. In the 2025-26 budget, the last presented by the Trinamool government, the department had received ₹21,355.25 crore.
Metro gives a low-down on proposals to boost the struggling government healthcare system of Bengal.
Medical colleges
The Trinamool government had allegedly stalled medical college projects in at least four districts. “They did not perform well in those places,” said a senior state official. “Ideally, under the National Health Scheme, there should be a government medical college in every district. In Bengal, several districts don’t have one.”
The budget proposal announced medical colleges in Alipurduar, Kalimpong, South Dinajpur and West Burdwan districts to address regional gaps in medical education and services.
The Suri Super Speciality Hospital in Birbhum will be upgraded to a government medical college and hospital, the budget announced.
Bengal has around 40 medical colleges, of which 26 are government-run. Shortage of doctors in state-run medical colleges and hospitals remains one of the biggest challenges in the healthcare system.
“We are still 20% short of the doctors required at government medical colleges,” said a state health department official.
According to the budget proposal, there is a plan to add about 650 MBBS seats across 13 government medical colleges. More than 450 postgraduate seats are also proposed across the state to increase the number of specialist doctors.
AIIMS, tertiary care
The new government announced plans to set up an AIIMS and a cancer hospital in north Bengal. Currently, there is an AIIMS at Kalyani.
“This is part of a plan to provide advanced tertiary care in north Bengal, which has been neglected over the years,” said a state government official.
New super speciality hospitals have also been announced in the Sundarbans, Purulia and Darjeeling.
Cheap drugs
Janaushadhi Kendras under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana will be set up at all government healthcare facilities. “The earlier government did not allow these and so we had only a few such stores,” a senior official said.
The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana was launched in 2008 to make quality generic medicines available at affordable prices. Dedicated outlets known as Janaushadhi Kendras provide medicines at lower rates.
As of March 2026, more than 19,000 Janaushadhi Kendras are functional across the country.
Bengal governor R.N. Ravi said 469 new Jan Aushadhi Kendras will be set up across the state. “This aims at offering high-quality generic drugs at a 50% to 80% discount compared to branded alternatives,” he said.
AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) stores will also be set up, said an official. AMRIT is a chain of pharmacies under the Union ministry of health and family welfare and managed by HLL Lifecare Limited.
The stores offer life-saving drugs, implants and surgical consumables at discounts of 50% to 90% of MRP.
AYUSH
A dedicated AYUSH department will be created, with adequate technical and non-technical personnel at the state headquarters and in the field to strengthen Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy services.