The government of Uttar Pradesh has revoked the licences of 178 private hospitals across the state following multiple public complaints and ensuing regulatory inspections, Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak told the State Assembly. He was replying to a question from Atul Pradhan, MLA from opposition.
Of these, 59 hospitals had their licences reinstated after hearings before a competent authority, indicating that compliance review was part of the process.
Besides licence cancellations, the state government has registered FIRs against 281 hospitals alleged to be operating in violation of prescribed norms and regulations.
Authorities have also seized 533 hospitals during enforcement drives and issued notices to 1,542 hospitals directing them to improve compliance with regulatory standards.
The government’s announcements in the legislature followed the receipt of around 500 complaints against private healthcare facilities. According to Minister Pathak, investigations revealed multiple instances of regulatory breach, prompting wide-ranging enforcement actions.
Pathak noted that the government continues to provide options for appeals and hearings, demonstrating procedural fairness in enforcement decisions.
When questioned on issues such as alleged inflated billing by private hospitals or the possibility of regulating consultation fees and diagnostic charges, Pathak clarified that there is currently no policy to fix such rates in the state. However, state government hospitals and national health schemes like the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana continue to provide free or subsidised care to eligible populations.
Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, cardholders are eligible for cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh in empanelled facilities, and senior citizens above 70 years receive additional benefits under the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana.
This enforcement action represents one of the state’s more extensive crackdowns on private healthcare providers in recent years, reflecting rising public concerns over quality, safety, and adherence to regulatory norms. While some hospitals regained licences after review, legal processes continue for cases where violations persist.
(Rh)
