SRINAGAR: As many as 73 paramedical posts and seven posts of doctors are vacant in health institutions across the Budgam Assembly constituency, the Jammu and Kashmir Government informed the Legislative Assembly on Monday.
The figures were provided in response to a starred question raised by MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi on infrastructure and human resource requirements in healthcare institutions in the constituency.
According to the government, 33 health institutions are currently functional in the constituency. It said infrastructure and manpower requirements are assessed periodically to identify gaps and undertake necessary measures.
The government said 101 doctors are presently working against a sanctioned strength of 108, leaving seven vacancies. In the paramedical category, 88 personnel are deployed against 161 sanctioned posts, leaving 73 positions unfilled.
It said 466 vacancies in non-gazetted and paramedical categories under the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, have been processed. This includes 58 district-cadre posts for Budgam, which have been referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) for recruitment.
On the shortage of doctors, the government said the department had received the selection list of 416 candidates for Medical Officer posts. The Administrative Department subsequently issued appointment orders for 335 Medical Officers whose verification reports had been received, under Government Order No. 663-JK(HME) of 2026 dated September 2, 2026.
The newly selected Medical Officers are submitting their joining reports as they take up their assigned postings, the government said. After completion of the prescribed joining period, the doctors will be posted in peripheral, far-flung and underserved areas where shortages are acute.
On the availability of medicines and diagnostic services, the government said adequate stocks of essential medicines and diagnostics are being maintained and that no shortage is currently being faced. It added that availability is monitored regularly, while issues concerning medicines, ambulances and infrastructure are being reviewed and addressed.
Several healthcare infrastructure projects are also under execution in the constituency under the UT CAPEX budget. The 125-bedded hospital at Reshi Pora, Budgam, is 70 per cent complete, while the NTPHC at Puhroo has been completed and the NTPHC at Nasrullah Pora is 85 per cent complete.
The PHC at Kralpora has been completed and taken over, while work on the PHC at Soibugh is partly completed and partly tendered. At NTPHC Hardupanzoo, the structure and roof have been completed. The balance work at NTPHC Jawalpora has reached the ground-floor slab stage, while the NTPHC at Wahabpora is around 30 per cent complete.
The government also said a 100-bedded Critical Care facility under PM-ABHIM has been targeted for the current financial year. A new 128-slice CT scan machine has meanwhile been installed and is expected to become operational shortly.
The constituency currently has eight routine ambulances, six BLS 108 ambulances and one ALS 108 ambulance, according to the government.
It said the infrastructure and manpower needs of health institutions in the constituency are being reviewed periodically, with measures being taken to strengthen healthcare services, particularly in underserved areas.
