NOD TO GOVT MEDICAL COLLEGE IN HOSHIARPUR
To come up at a cost of ₹325 cr, of which 40% to be borne by state
NEW DELHI: The Centre has approved a government medical college in Hoshiarpur besides upgrading the civil hospital there. The Union health ministry conveyed its approval to Punjab’s request on Tuesday under the centrally sponsored scheme for new medical colleges attached with existing district hospital.
THE GMC WILL BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE BACKWARD KANDI BELT WITH AN INTAKE CAPACITY OF 100 SEATS
CHANDIGARH: The Centre has approved a government medical college in Hoshiarpur besides upgrading the civil hospital there.
The Union health ministry conveyed its approval to the Punjab government’s request on Tuesday evening under the centrally sponsored scheme for new medical colleges attached with existing district hospital, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The new medical college will be set up at a cost of ₹325 crore, of which ₹195 crore or 60% share, will be borne by the Centre. The remaining 40% or ₹130 crore will be contributed by the Punjab government as the state’s share for the college. With three existing medical colleges run by the state government and two more sanctioned in Mohali and Kapurthala, it will be the sixth such medical institution in Punjab.
The GMC will be the first of its kind in the backward Kandi region with an intake capacity of 100 seats. The Centre already has sanctioned a medical college at Kapurthala on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak in November.
The college at Hoshiarpur will be instrumental in providing quality health care and diagnostic services, besides giving impetus to medical education and research in the region.
Conceding to the request of chief minister Amarinder Singh, the Centre also cleared a proposal to upgrade the civil hospital from 200 to 500 beds with the latest medical infrastructure.
CREDIT WAR
On January 23, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan had written to Hoshiarpur member of Parliament Som Parkash, informing him that the central government had sanctioned the medical college in Hoshiarpur by upgrading the district hospital “on his request”.
Local BJP and Congress leaders are engaged in a credit war ever since. The BJP leaders term it a victory for their party, state industries and commerce minister Sunder Sham Arora, who represents the assembly constituency, says the project was okayed due to the Punjab government’s “earnest efforts”.
Opening of the new college may take time as for the Kapurthala college announced two months ago, the state is yet to sign an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre.