New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) The Cabinet Thursday approved setting up of 137 General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) Schools in at least 18 states to boost human resource in the health sector. The total cost will be Rs.1,370 crore.

'The schools will be opened in these states at a total cost of Rs.1,370 crore with a cost sharing pattern of 85:15 between the central government and states. The expenditure on the part of the central government would be Rs.1,164.50 crore and the states are to contribute Rs.205.50 crore,' the cabinet said in a statement.

These schools will upgrade and strengthen human resource for health in high focus states like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and all Northeastern states.

'This is expected to increase the availability of trained nursing manpower and improve the quality of nursing education in the backward and special category states of the country. This would also facilitate improvement in the quality of nursing services in the hospitals,' the cabinet added.