The Cabinet on Wednesday approved setting up of 75 medical colleges in the next three years with the Centre spending ₹24,375 crore on them.

The colleges would be set up in areas with at least 200-bed district hospital and having no such college. The move would lead to an addition of at least 15,700 MBBS seats.

After a Union Cabinet meeting, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Minister of Information and Broadcasting told the media: “The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its approval for the establishment of 75 additional government medical colleges by 2021-22 attached with existing district/referral hospitals under Phase-III of the ongoing Centrally sponsored scheme.”

He said they would increase the availability of qualified health professionals, improve tertiary care in the government sector, and promote affordable medical education.