The Government of India has released a Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) Health Sector Grant of Rs 1.51 billion to the Government of West Bengal for the financial year 2024–25. The funds, allocated under the component ‘Support for Diagnostic Infrastructure to the Primary Healthcare Facilities for the Sub-Centres (For Rural)’, are aimed at improving healthcare delivery in rural areas.

The grant supports the Healthy Panchayat vision under the Local Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs), promoting health and well-being for all through effective local governance. It also aligns with the national objective of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047 through Healthy Panchayats’, fostering resilient and sustainable rural communities.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the XV FC Health Sector Grant is designed to equip primary healthcare centres with diagnostic infrastructure, ensuring that essential medical services are accessible to rural populations. The release of funds will help strengthen grassroots healthcare facilities, benefitting citizens in villages administered by Panchayati Raj Institutions.

The Ministry stated that these grants are issued on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The State Government must ensure that the funds are used strictly in accordance with the operational and technical guidelines issued by the Centre. It also emphasised the need to avoid duplication of resources with other existing schemes such as the National Health Mission (NHM) and the Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PM-ASBY).

The funding is expected to play a crucial role in improving diagnostic capacity, accessibility, and quality of healthcare in rural West Bengal, thereby contributing to India’s broader goal of universal health coverage and sustainable community development.