157 new medical colleges given nod since 2014, says Indian government

Dimapur, Oct. 24 (EMN): The government of India has given nod to as many as 157 new medical colleges in India since 2014 and has invested a total of INR 17,691.08 crore on these projects, said Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

“On completion, nearly 16,000 undergraduate medical seats would be added. Of these, 6500 seats have already been created with the functioning of 64 new medical colleges,” updated the ministry.

It said government has provided about ₹2,451.1 crore under the centrally-sponsored schemes (CSS) for upgrading existing state government or central government medical colleges to increase MBBS seats in the country.

The ministry added said the Centre has been relentlessly pursuing to cultivate more human resources through the schemes to address not only the issues of equity in medical education and but also geographic disparity in availability of medical care.

“Under the scheme, medical colleges are established in districts which do not have either a government or private medical college. Preference is given to underserved / backward / Aspirational districts.

“Under three phases of the scheme, 157 new medical colleges have been approved, out of which 63 medical colleges are already functional. Of the 157 new colleges that are being established under the CSS, 39 are being set up in Aspirational districts,” it stated.

As per the scheme guidelines, the state government is the implementing agency and the planning, execution and commissioning of the projects is to be done by the state government. The Union Health ministry stated that it is implementing the scheme for upgrading the existing state government and central government medical colleges to create 10,000 MBBS seats.

“The funding pattern is 90:10 by Central and state governments respectively for the north-eastern states and special category states and 60:40 for other states with the upper ceiling cost pegged at INR1.20 crore per seat. 48 colleges in 15 states have been approved for increase of 3325 seats with INR 6719.11 crore released as central share,” it informed.

It may be mentioned that the Centre had approved the Mon Medical College in September last year before former Health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan laid the foundation stone of the health facility at District Hospital Mon in February this year. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2024 at a cost of INR 325 crore with central share of INR 292.50 crore.

This is apart from the much-awaited Nagaland Medical College in Kohima, which state’s Health minister S Pangnyu Phom had said that it would be in the lines of AIIMS or NEIGRIHMS.