Friday, October 25, 2019

Central

Centre sanctions ₹1,950cr for 6 new TN med colleges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:

The Centre has sanctioned ₹1,950 crore to Tamil Nadu for setting up six new medical colleges under a centrally-sponsored scheme. With this, the total total number of government-owned medical colleges in the state will go up to 29, excluding three government-run colleges. This would also mean at least 900 more medical seats for the state.

While the Centre has allocatted ₹1,170 crore, the state’s share would be ₹780 crore, said chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, thanking Prime Minister Modi for the financial sanction. “It is a historic achievement. I thank the Centre wholeheartedly,” he said.

In August, the cabinet committee on economic affairs had approved setting up of 75 government medical colleges by 2021-22. The state made proposal for six medical colleges in unserved areas. On Wednesday, the ministry of health and family welfare undersecretary P K Bandopadhyay in a letter to the state health secretary Beela Rajesh said the Center has approved ₹325 crore for each medical college — ₹195 crore from the Centre and ₹130 crore from the state.

Last week, Medical Council of India, the apex body that regulates medical education in the country, cleared the decks for the state’s proposal to start colleges in Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Dindigul, Tirupur, Namakkal and The Nilgiris.

‘State could get 900 more medical seats’

Two committees of the MCI the technical committee and the empowered committee brainstormed the need for these colleges. “We had to convince them on the need for a medical college in each location,” said health secretary Beela Rajesh. For instance, the board asked why set up a college in The Nilgiris when there is a medical college in Coimbatore. “We had to tell them that it can take up to four hours for people to get downhill to the nearest tertiary care centre. The hills aren’t an easy terrain to serve and many people living there are tribals,” she said.

After the technical committee‘s learance, the state was asked to prepare government orders allotting land to the medical colleges. The team moved files through at least five government departments to get the orders out in less than 24-hours on the day of Chinese President Xi’s visit. “Our hard work has paid off. This would mean at least 900 more medical seats for our state,” he said.

This will take the total number of seats in government colleges to 4,150. While the 20 acres of land has been allotted in the Nilgiris has been allotted for the new medical college, land in the collectorate complexes in Virudhunagar and Ramnad, space around existing government hospital in Tirupur have been earmarked for the new colleges.

The state health department will soon start the process for appointment of special construction and appointment for doctors, nurses, paramedical staff for the new colleges. “We are doing our best to get all colleges ready for admission as early as possible,” said the directorate of medical education Dr R Narayanababu.

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