New Delhi, 23 March : The National Health Mission (NHM) provides support for improvement in health infrastructure, availability of adequate human resources in health facilities, to improve availability and accessibility to quality healthcare across the country including all tribal dominated districts.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under NHM. Approval is provided to the proposals in the form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as per norms & available resources. The details of RoPs issued to States/UTs, are available at following web link: https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=1377&lid=744
There are various mechanisms and survey agencies which generate data on tribal healthcare on a periodic basis. National Family Health Survey (NFHS) provides details on major changes in malnutrition, anaemia and maternal health indicators among all the high-burden tribal districts across the country. Census of India provides population and household details including tribal areas. National Sample Survey provides household surveys on various socio-economic subjects. The State-wise list of key indicators NFHS-5 may be extracted from below mentioned link: https://www.nfhsiips.in/nfhsuser/publication.php
Under NHM, norms have been relaxed for tribal/hilly/hard-to-reach areas to strengthen healthcare access. Population criteria for setting up of Sub Health Centres (SHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) have been reduced to 3,000, 20,000 and 80,000 respectively. One Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) is allowed per habitation instead of per 1,000 population, and up to 4 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) per district are permitted in tribal and hard-to-reach areas, compared to 2 in plain districts.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), launched on 15th November, 2023 by MoTA, further relaxation in NHM norms has been provided up to 10 MMUs per district with Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) areas. Norms have been relaxed for one additional Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) for each Multi Purpose Centre (MPC) constructed by MoTA. As per MMU portal, 815 MMUs under PM-JANMAN and 320 MMUs under Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) are operational across the country for providing basic health services in tribal areas till 18.02.2026.
MMUs are supported under NHM to provide outreach services in remote villages with difficult terrain which are underserved and inaccessible. As per NHM-MIS report, a total of 1453 MMUs have been deployed across the country including tribal dominated districts.
A total of 1.84 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) have been established and operationalized in the country by strengthening SHCs and PHCs, including 31,023 AAMs in 178 tribal districts, which deliver expanded range of comprehensive primary healthcare services encompassing preventive, promotive, palliative, rehabilitative, and curative care.
The teleconsultation services, available at all operational AAMs across the country including tribal regions, enables people to access the specialist services closer to their homes addressing concerns of physical accessibility, shortage of service providers and to facilitate continuum of care. Total teleconsultations conducted at AAMs are 44.08 crore, as on 28.02.2026.
Under NHM, the performance of various health programmes is regularly assessed in the country including remote, hilly and tribal areas, through review meetings, mid-term reviews of key deliverables, field visits of senior officials, promoting performance by setting up benchmarks for service delivery & rewarding achievements etc. Common Review Missions (CRM) are conducted annually to assess and monitor the progress and implementation status of various schemes.
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri. Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.