The Centre has decided to set up 157 new medical colleges in the country to strengthen the health infrastructure but in some states, these projects are hit by issues like the availability of land, Union minister Bharati Pawar said.

She said the priority will be given to backward districts to improve the health infrastructure.

"The Central government has given a priority to backward districts and we are working there. We are establishing 157 new medical colleges. The government will increase the number of AIIMS to 22 from six. These are time-bound projects. But in many states, these projects are facing issues. In some states, these projects are pending because of the unavailability of land. Work stops for a period of one-two year. But this is not the case in Maharashtra," the minister told PTI on Friday night in Aurangabad.

She said the Union government was sanctioning facilities with funds but some issues persist.

"The Central government has issued a fund of around Rs 23,000 crore under the second phase of the Covid emergency relief plan and Maharashtra has also got a good share of it to tackle the probable third wave," she said.

The minister added that the preference was given to enhance the capacity to produce medical oxygen as the need for this life-saving gas shot up in the second wave of the pandemic.