Yogi Adityanath Cabinet Approves 500-Bed Super-Speciality Hospital in Varanasi

The Union government has approved Rs 315.48 crore for the project under the National Health Mission.

The Yogi Adityanath government has approved the establishment of a 500-bed super-speciality hospital in Varanasi, upgrading the existing Shri Shivprasad Gupta (SSPG) Divisional Hospital into a major public hospital and referral centre for Purvanchal and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Located in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, the hospital is expected to emerge as a key referral hub serving patients from Varanasi and the surrounding districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, following approval of a proposal from the Medical Education Department.

Officials have indicated that the upgraded hospital will help address the long-standing shortage of high-end treatment options in Purvanchal, where patients often travel long distances for specialised care.

Providing background to the decision, Uttar Pradesh has been steadily expanding its hospital and medical education infrastructure over recent years, with a focus on reducing patient load on metropolitan centres such as Lucknow and Delhi.

Varanasi, as a regional medical hub, already hosts several public and private hospitals, but demand for super-speciality services continues to outpace supply.

The SSPG Divisional Hospital redevelopment is intended to fill this gap by consolidating advanced treatment, teaching, and referral functions within a single public hospital campus.

On the funding side, Health and Medical Education Department Additional Chief Secretary Amit Kumar Ghosh stated that the Union government has approved Rs 315.48 crore for the project under the National Health Mission.

The cost-sharing arrangement follows the standard pattern, with the Centre contributing 60 per cent of the approved outlay and the state government covering the remaining 40 per cent. This Centre-state partnership underscores the emphasis on strengthening public hospitals as anchors of advanced care delivery.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the project will involve demolishing 11 old and structurally unsafe buildings on the SSPG campus to make way for the new hospital complex.

The cabinet has approved both redevelopment and dismantling activities, with demolition costs estimated at Rs 11.58 crore before construction begins.

Officials have outlined a completion timeline of four years from the start of construction.

In addition to expanding bed capacity, the facility is planned as a teaching and referral centre, supporting medical education and specialist training.

Administrators say the project reflects a long-term strategy under the Yogi Adityanath government to make the region more self-reliant in advanced hospital care, with Varanasi positioned as a central pillar of that effort.

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News