Kerala High Court Questions Centre on AIIMS Delay, Asks if Good Health Care is a Handicap

The Kerala High Court has questioned the Union government over the delay in setting up an All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the State, asking if having better health care works as a disadvantage.

Court Observations And Proceedings

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Syam Kumar noted that the matter has been pending for nearly a decade while considering a petition filed under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. The court pointed out that Kerala has the country's highest population density and existing hospitals will not be enough to care for the poor and needy.

Government Stance

Deputy Solicitor General of India O.M. Shalina told the court that because Kerala already has better health-care conditions than other States, the Union government is giving priority to States with weaker health sectors. The court countered this by asking why Delhi and other States have multiple such institutes if the availability of medical facilities is the main criteria, and asked whether the Centre's stand implies that Kerala does not need the project.

Context

Establishing an AIIMS requires long-term planning and inter-ministerial consultations, with final decisions tied to broader funding schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. Courts often intervene in public infrastructure delays to seek accountability from administrative bodies regarding long-pending regional proposals.