When was the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana approved?

Appeared in: MP NHM CHO-2024 (Shift-2)

Explanation

The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) was approved in March 2006.
The primary goal of this scheme is to address the geographical imbalance in the availability of high-quality, affordable tertiary level healthcare.
Another key objective is to enhance the infrastructure and facilities for quality medical education across the country.
This is achieved by establishing new AIIMS-like institutions and upgrading existing government medical colleges.

Option A: 1989 is not associated with the launch of PMSSY. A major health initiative around this time was the Universal Immunization Program (UIP), which was launched in 1985.
Option B: 1997 is the year the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) program was launched, not PMSSY.
Option C: 2000 is not the approval year for PMSSY. This year does not mark the launch of any of the major national health programs discussed.

Visual 1: Infographic: Timeline of Major National Health Programs in India, showing the launch year and key objective of each scheme like UIP (1985), RCH (1997), NRHM (2005), PMSSY (2006), and Ayushman Bharat (2018).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Launch Year of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
PMSSY directly impacts public health by creating more super-specialty hospitals and increasing the number of available beds for tertiary care, reducing the burden on existing institutions.
For nurses, the scheme has expanded employment opportunities in advanced care settings (like new AIIMS) and necessitates continuous skill upgradation to work with modern medical technology and complex patient cases.
What if? If the question had asked about a scheme focused on rural primary healthcare, the answer would be 2005, the launch year of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question about a major government health policy.
Identify the key phrase in the question: 'Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana' and the keyword 'approved'.
The question asks for a specific year. Your task is to recall the launch/approval year of this scheme.
Try to associate the scheme with its purpose (tertiary healthcare, AIIMS-like institutions) to help anchor the memory.
Evaluate the given options. Eliminate years that are associated with other major health programs. For example, 2005 is famous for the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
Select the year that correctly corresponds to the PMSSY scheme.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full MP NHM CHO-2024 (Shift-2)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.