5,000 more PG seats in medical institutes: Govt

As many as 5,000 additional post- graduate (PG) seats have been created in medical institutions in the country and the budget allocation for the health sector in the coming fiscal has been increased by 28 per cent, Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Health Minister J P Nadda said the government has taken a number of steps to improve the health sector in the country including creation of 5,000 additional PG seats in medical institutions.

"There has been 27.7 per cent more allocation to the health sector in the 2017-18 budget. We are also planning to allocate 2.5 per cent of the GDP to the health sector in phase-wise," he said during Question Hour. However, many state governments have returned the funds earmarked for the health sector as they have not been able to spend them, he said.

Nadda said the Centre has been offering help to the states to improve infrastructure and institutions in the health sector besides providing financial support, but the states have to spend the funds properly and submit the utilisation certificates.