
Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Union Health Ministry’s response to the state’s demand for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raichur. The criticism comes after Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda stated that the proposed AIIMS would be considered within Karnataka’s overall health fund allocation, a response that has been deemed inadequate by the state government.
In a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on January 14, Nadda outlined the Centre’s plans to establish AIIMS across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) in a phased manner. He mentioned that the proposal for AIIMS in Karnataka would be examined within the financial limits of PMSSY and other central health schemes, including the National Health Mission (NHM).
The letter highlighted that under NHM, Karnataka has received Rs. 4,648.63 crore in central grants from FY 2021-22 to FY 2024-25, including Rs. 939.65 crore in the current fiscal year. Additionally, Rs. 194.80 crore has been allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) during the same period. Nadda suggested that the state government could include proposals to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in Raichur in its Programme Implementation Plan (PIP) for consideration under NHM guidelines.
However, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticized the response, stating that it failed to address the state’s specific demand for an AIIMS in Raichur. “I do not understand what the Union Health Minister’s letter intends to convey. Our demand for an AIIMS in Raichur remains unanswered. While 22 states have received approval for AIIMS, Karnataka’s long-standing demand has been ignored,” Rao said.
He further emphasized that NHM and PM-ABHIM funds are already allocated for existing requirements and cannot be diverted for establishing an AIIMS, which requires a dedicated budget. “The Union Government has cleverly and indirectly denied our request. This is yet another example of injustice towards Karnataka under the Modi regime,” Rao added.
Congress MP from Raichur and former IAS officer, G. Kumar Naik, also voiced his concerns, stating, “Karnataka’s rightful demand for an AIIMS in Raichur has once again been overlooked by the Union Government, making it the only major state without such an institution. The Union Health Minister’s response lacks commitment and offers only vague references to existing funds. Healthcare development should not be influenced by political bias.”
Naik highlighted that Raichur, identified by NITI Aayog as one of India’s 112 aspirational districts, urgently requires enhanced healthcare and education facilities. The state government has reiterated its commitment to supporting the establishment of an AIIMS in Raichur and has called for a dedicated allocation from the Centre to fulfill this critical need.