PIB Summary - 9th July 2025 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

India’s Healthcare Transformation (2014–2025)

Context and Vision

• Policy Commitment as Catalyst: India's healthcare reforms in the past decade have focused on making healthcare accessible, affordable, equitable, and of high quality.
• 2014 Baseline: In 2014, India faced significant challenges in healthcare infrastructure, human resources, diagnostics, availability of medicines, and public trust in the healthcare system.

Foundations of Reform

National Health Mission (NHM)

• The NHM has been the core vehicle for systemic reform in India’s healthcare sector.
• It has led to improved outcomes in maternal and child health, better control of communicable diseases, and overall strengthening of the healthcare system.

Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AB-HWCs)

• A total of 1.77 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been operationalised, providing doorstep primary care services.
• Data shows 427.57 crore visits, 36.64 crore teleconsultations, and 5.5 crore wellness sessions conducted through these centres.

Telemedicine Push

• Initiatives like eSanjeevani and TeleMANAS have created a pan-India digital health bridge.
• This has significantly improved access to specialists in remote areas and mainstreamed mental health services.

Maternal & Child Health Revolution

• Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR): Declined by 86%, compared to the global average decline of 48% (UN-MMEIG).
• Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Declined by 73%, while the global average decline is 58%.
• Global Recognition: India has been recognized as an “exemplar” in reducing child mortality on the global stage.
• Initiatives: Targeted interventions under the National Health Mission (NHM) and the Mission Indradhanush, which includes 6 new vaccines.
• U-WIN Portal:. total of 42.75 crore doses have been administered, and 10.68 crore beneficiaries have been digitized through this portal.

Preventive Care over Curative Care

• Cancer Screening: Arogya Mandirs are conducting screenings for breast, cervical, and oral cancers.
• NCD Screenings: As of May 2025, screenings for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) include 28 crore for hypertension, 27 crore for diabetes, and 27 crore for oral cancer.
• Shift in Focus: The emphasis on early diagnosis is aimed at reducing the overall disease burden and associated costs.

Communicable Disease Milestones

Financial Protection & Affordability

• Government Health Expenditure (GHE): Increased from 1.13% to 1.84% of GDP.
• Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE): Decreased from 62.6% to 39.4%.
• Key Schemes: Implementation of free drugs and diagnostics programs, with CT and lab services in over 30 states.
• Dialysis Program: Benefited 28 lakh individuals and saved ₹8,725 crore.
• Ambulance Network: Expanded to over 28,000 vehicles and 1,498 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs), including services for tribal areas under PM-JANMAN.

Infrastructure & Human Resources

PM-ABHIM (since 2021):

• 18,802 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs established.
• 602 Critical Care Blocks set up.
• 730 Public Health Labs inaugurated.

Human Resource Surge:

• 5.23 lakh recruits under NHM, including 1.18 lakh Community Health Officers (CHOs) to bridge gaps between community and Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
• Over 34,000 facilities certified under National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) for quality and patient safety.

Digital & Data-Driven Systems

• U-WIN:. system for vaccine logistics and tracking at a population scale.
• eSanjeevani: Recognized as one of the world’s largest teleconsultation platforms.
• Digitization of Health Records: Under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

Outcome Metrics: A Scorecard

Critical Reflections & Challenges Ahead

• Sustainability: The challenge of maintaining funding levels to match the ambitious healthcare goals.
• Quality Gaps: Assessing whether the quality of secondary and tertiary care units is improving at an adequate pace, despite the increase in quantity.
• Urban-Rural Equity: Addressing the potential disparity where urban areas may advance more rapidly in digital health, while rural regions require enhanced connectivity and resources.
• NCD Burden: The need to accelerate preventive measures to counterbalance the rising incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

Conclusion: The Road to Universal Health Coverage (UHC)

•  India’s healthcare transformation over the past 11 years is among the most ambitious and extensive globally, reflecting a strong commitment to health equity. 
•  The journey illustrates the effectiveness of political will, digital advancements, expansion of human resources, and financial reallocation in achieving health goals. 
•  The vision of “ Swasth Bharat ”—healthcare accessible to all—has become increasingly achievable, marking a significant step towards Universal Health Coverage. 

Digital Employment & Welfare Ecosystem in India (2015–2025)

The Digital Governance Framework

• Vision: Utilize digital tools for the efficient and citizen-centric delivery of employment services and social security. 

Transformation Pillars:

•  Interlinked platforms (NCS, e-Shram, EPFO) 
•  Aadhaar-based targeting 
•  Real-time data flow 
•  Integrated service delivery 
•  Crisis-resilient infrastructure 

Relevance: GS 2 (Labour welfare, Governance, Social Issues) 

Digital Public Infrastructure for Jobs & Skills

1. National Career Service (NCS) Portal

• Launch: 2015, by the Ministry of Labour & Employment 
• Scale: 5.5 crore+ job seekers, 57,000 job fairs 
• Integrated With: SID, Udyam, e-Shram, EPFO, ESIC, DigiLocker, PM GatiShakti 
• Features: Career counseling, job search by skill/location, internship/apprenticeship listings 
• Impact: Democratized job access via phone; links job seekers with 30+ state/private job portals 

2. Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH)

•  Enables skill tracking, upskilling, certifications 
•  Integrated with NCS for seamless training-to-employment mapping 

Compliance, Grievance & Transparency Portals

• Shram Suvidha: One-stop portal for labour law compliance 
• Samadhan: Worker grievance redressal and settlement of claims 
• ESIC Dhanwantari Module: Digitised patient records for better hospital care 
• UMANG App: Access point for EPFO, e-Shram, ESIC 

Social Security for the Unorganised Sector

1. e-Shram Portal

• Launch: 2021; Registrations: 30.7 crore+ 
• Integrated Schemes: 13+ Central + 32 State schemes 
• Features: Unique ID card for each unorganised worker, 22-language multilingual access (via MEITY’s Bhashini), State Microsites, Mobile Apps for ease 
• Union Budget 2025-26: Extended e-Shram to gig/platform workers, Coverage under PM Jan Arogya Yojana enabled 

2. Interlinkages

•  Connected to PM-SYM, myScheme, DISHA, NCS, SIDH 
•  Workers can register once and access pensions, insurance, jobs, skills 

3. Global Recognition

• ILO Social Protection Data (2025): Coverage jumped from 19% (2015) to 64.3% (2025) 
• India ranks 2nd globally in beneficiary count: 94.13 crore 
• Recognised in WSPR 2026: First country to report comprehensive central + state scheme data 

EPFO 2.0: Digitisation & Pension Reforms

• Members: 34.6 crore+ 
• Pensioners under CPP System: 77 lakh 
• Auto-settlement limit raised: ₹1 lakh 
• Members benefitting (auto-claims): 7.5 crore 
• Yearly fund transfer: ₹90,000 crore 
• E-passbook, UAN, Digital Life Cert: Enhance ease & transparency 
• Centralised pension disbursement: Improves accessibility 
• Fund transfer process simplified: 1.25 crore+ members benefit 

Benefits of Interlinked Portals

Crisis-Responsive Infrastructure

• Pandemic Preparedness: e-Shram and NCS databases facilitate quick identification of distressed workers 
• Resilience in Real Time: Portals can deliver benefits directly, even during lockdowns or disasters 

Summary Scorecard: Key Achievements

Challenges and Way Forward

Challenges:

•  Fragmentation still exists in regional portals. 
•  Gig/platform workers’ contributions to funds remain unstructured. 
•  Awareness and digital literacy gaps, especially in tribal and remote areas. 

Recommendations:

•  Encourage private-sector data sharing with e-Shram. 
•  Incentivize gig platforms to co-contribute to workers’ welfare. 
•  Expand digital training for workers on using scheme portals. 
•  Create portable, stackable benefits across state boundaries. 

Conclusion: Tech-Driven Welfare State

•  India’s digital welfare architecture represents a new model of inclusive, responsive governance. With real-time databases, interoperable portals, and universal access frameworks.
• India is now closer than ever to ensuring every citizen is not only employed but also protected.