The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved on Wednesday setting up of 75 government medical colleges to be attached with existing district or referral hospitals by 2021-22.
The Centre will also establishment 75 new medical colleges in the country for which Rs 24,734 crore has been earmarked, Javadekar said.
The establishment of new medical colleges, under phase III of the ongoing Centrally sponsored scheme, will add at least 15,700 MBBS seats in the country.
The new medical colleges would be set up in under-served areas having no medical colleges, with district hospitals having at least 200 beds, a government statement said.
The establishment of new medical colleges, to be attached with existing district and referral hospitals, would lead to an increase in the availability of qualified health professionals, improve tertiary care in government sector, utilise existing infrastructure of district hospitals and promote affordable medical education in the country, it said.
"The scheme on establishment of new medical colleges would lead to addition of at least 15,700 MBBS seats in the country," the government said.
The Union Cabinet has also decided to allow 100 per cent foreign direct investment in coal mining through automatic route, commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference soon after a Cabinet meeting, Goyal along with his colleague
Prakash Javadekar said that the cabinet had decided to relax FDI norms to give a boost to the economy.
To boost domestic manufacturing, 100 per cent FDI in contract manufacturing under automatic route has been allowed, he said, adding that 26 per cent FDI has been allowed in digital media.
On FDI in single-brand retailing, the Cabinet has expanded the definition of mandatory 30 per cent domestic sourcing norm.
It also allowed single-brand retailers to start online sales, waiving the previous condition of setting up a mandatory brick-and-mortar store, he said.
(With inputs from PTI)