New Delhi:  The Union Government is going to establish 157 Government Nursing colleges throughout the country. The Government is expecting spend Rs 1,570 crore for newly forming nursing colleges in co-location with existing medical colleges over the next two years.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday announced in a press conference about the forming of new nursing college after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Health Minister said the Government will provide a financial assistance Rs. 10 Crore for each nursing college. There is a great imbalance in the country as 40% of Indian nursing colleges are in four southern states, while on the other hand, there are 13 such states where there are no nursing colleges, he said. Citing examples, the minister said in Bihar there are only two government nursing colleges, besides 10 private ones. Now, Bihar will get 8 nursing colleges.

Uttar Pradesh has 10 government nursing colleges, Rajasthan 11, Madhya Pradesh 11, and Jharkhand 1. Now, under the new policy, these states will get as many nursing colleges as there are medical colleges, he added. The maximum number of nursing colleges will be set up in Uttar Pradesh where 27 new nursing colleges will come up.

This will be followed by Rajasthan (23), Madhya Pradesh (14). Both Tamil Nadu and West Bengal will get 11 new nursing colleges. The initiative aims to address the geographical and rural-urban imbalances in the healthcare sector, which have led to the skewed availability of nursing professionals and impacted healthcare services in underserved areas, he said.