New Delhi, Sep 27 : The addition of over 10,000 new medical seats by the Union Cabinet recently is another step towards India achieving universal healthcare, according to an official statement on Saturday.

On September 24, 10,023 new medical seats across existing government colleges and hospitals were approved by the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with an investment of Rs 15,034 crore.

The move is part of a broader vision to create 75,000 additional medical seats within the next five years.

'Approval of Phase-III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme will add significant PG and UG medical seats. This will improve our healthcare system and enhance the medical education infrastructure. It will ensure that every part of India has the availability of skilled doctors,' PM Modi said in a post on X.

While the country -- with a population of 1.4 billion -- has significantly expanded its medical infrastructure over the past decade, the demand continues to outpace supply.

To make quality healthcare accessible to all -- particularly the rural, tribal, and hard-to-reach communities -- the Cabinet approved an additional 5,000 post-graduate and 5,023 undergraduate medical seats in existing government colleges and hospitals by 2028-29.

'The total investment for this expansion is Rs 15,034 crore covering the period from 2025-26 to 2028-29. Of this, 68.5 per cent, amounting to Rs 10,303.20 crore will be funded by the Union government, while the remaining Rs 4,731.30 crore will be contributed by the states. The investment per seat stands at Rs 1.5 crore,' the statement said.

With the addition of medical seats, underserved communities will benefit from a skilled medical workforce, particularly specialists. This will also help aspiring medical students to get more opportunities to pursue a medical education in India; the quality of medical education will be enhanced and will meet global standards.

With more doctors and specialists, India can become a prime destination for providing affordable healthcare and boost foreign exchange. It will also enable underserved rural and remote areas to get accessible healthcare.

New direct and indirect jobs will be added, such as for doctors, faculty, paramedical staff, researchers, administrators, and support services.

India has the highest number of medical colleges (808) and has been expanding its medical educational infrastructure for years.

'The ripple effects will be profound; enhanced medical education standards, increased employment opportunities across healthcare sectors, and most importantly, improved health outcomes for crores of citizens who have historically lacked access to quality medical care,' the statement said.

/IANS