J&K PLANS ₹4K CR INVESTMENT IN MEDICAL SECTOR

NEW DELHI: The Jammu & Kashmir government is eyeing investment of over ₹4,000 crore in the medical sector with a twin purpose of enhancing medical facilities as well as increasing availability of hospital beds and MBBS seats in the Union territory.

According to a person aware of the details, a ₹4,575 crore worth Medicity project, which is likely to add 12,553 jobs, 5,865 beds and about 1,000 MBBS seats, is in the pipeline. “There are over eight proposals for setting up hospitals with over 200 beds in Sempora and Bemina industrial estates,” the person quoted above said, seeking anonymity. These projects, which include hospitals, research and nursing training institutes, diagnostic centres, paramedical college and super speciality hospitals, will also offer 1,000 MBBS seats, the person added.

Additional medical seats are expected to offer relief to students who travel abroad for affordable medical studies.

Besides the above eight proposals, 11 proposals have been submitted for opening hospitals and medical college projects in Lelhar and Pulwama (in Kashmir region) and a Medicity in Jammu region, the person cited above said.

Following the revocation of Article 370 that gave Jammu & Kashmir a special status in 2019, the Centre and state administration have been bullish on inviting investors to the UT. In March, Parliament approved the ₹1.42 trillion budget for Jammu & Kashmir for the year 2022–23. During his visit to the UT last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met delegations from the United Arab Emirates looking for opportunities to invest in the region.