Pulwama, March 05: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has no current proposal for the construction of a 100-bedded maternity hospital in Sirnoo village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Masood Itoo, informed the legislative assembly of Jammu and Kashmir in response to an unstarred question tabled by MLA Pulwama Waheed Ur Rehman Para.
The Assembly was informed that maternal healthcare facilities for the people of Pulwama, including Sirnoo, are being provided at the District Hospital Pulwama, and no separate maternity hospital is planned at present.
The health minister informed that the government is currently focusing on consolidating and strengthening existing health facilities instead of creating new infrastructure, mentioning the existence of around 4000 health institutions at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
Referring to a report published in 2023 by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, it was clarified that Jammu & Kashmir has one healthcare institution for every 3,500 people, which is significantly better than the national average of one per 6,000 people.
The house was informed that future upgrades and new projects in the healthcare sector depend on various parameters, including population density, existing infrastructure, distance from nearby health institutions, workload, and compliance with the IPHS norms-2022. “Furthermore, a recent Finance Department order (10-F of 2025, dated January 11, 2025) has restricted the creation of new posts, limiting the scope for expanding health services through new constructions.
To improve healthcare services, the government has conceptualized a plan to strengthen the existing health infrastructure through rationalization of manpower, resource sharing, and digital healthcare initiatives. This includes the expansion of e-Sanjeevani and telemedicine facilities, using a hub-and-spoke model to enhance accessibility.”
Local residents reported that around 2018-19, several kanals of state land in Sirnoo village, on the outskirts of town, were earmarked for the proposed 100-bed maternity hospital, with a signboard installed at the site.
An aged resident of Sirnoo said that a road to the site was also opened by the then deputy commissioner Pulwama.
However, over the past six years, the project has seen no progress, raising concerns among the residents.
This prompted the concerned MLA to seek clarification from the government on whether the proposal is still pending approval and if there are any plans to sanction the project in the near future.
