BJP President Sat Sharma Advocates for Enhanced Rural and Border Healthcare Infrastructure for J&K in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI, March 17, 2026 — During a high-profile Zero Hour session in the Rajya Sabha today, Sat Sharma, Member of Parliament and President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for Jammu & Kashmir, issued a powerful call for the further strengthening of medical infrastructure across the Union Territory.

While acknowledging the transformative progress made under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi—including the historic establishment of two AIIMS and the success of the Ayushman Bharat SEHAT scheme—Sharma highlighted the pressing need to bridge remaining gaps in remote and border regions.

He noted that while the abrogation of Article 370 has accelerated financial support and policy interventions, the difficult terrain and high-altitude geography of J&K necessitate a more aggressive expansion of modern medical facilities to ensure that no citizen is left behind due to their location.

A primary focus of Sharma’s address was the critical shortage of medical personnel in rural areas, where he revealed that nearly 647 out of 1,677 sanctioned doctor positions and 177 nursing posts currently remain vacant.

He argued that these vacancies, coupled with long travel distances to tertiary care centers in Jammu and Srinagar, pose significant risks during emergencies.

To combat these challenges, the MP urged the Central Government to implement special incentive packages for healthcare professionals serving in underserved districts and to accelerate the deployment of Critical Care Blocks under the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.

By integrating advanced telemedicine platforms like e-Sanjeevani with improved air evacuation and ambulance networks, Sharma emphasized that the government can build a more resilient healthcare ecosystem that guarantees human dignity and social security for every resident of Jammu & Kashmir.