Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 18: The Centre has released Rs 275 crores from Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) for Health and Medical Education Department of the State for undertaking 113 projects, mostly new hospitals and upgradation of existing, during current financial year of 2017-18.
Rs 80,068 crores worth PMDP has a provision of Rs 632.67 crores for upgrading infrastructure in health sector in Jammu and Kashmir during current fiscal year. Rest of the amount would follow in remaining installments especially after utilization of the funds released by the Central Government.
Official sources told the Excelsior that 113 projects in health centre would be taken up immediately with the release of Rs 275 crores by the Government of India from the PMDP. The new projects, which will be executed with the PMDP, included construction of hospitals, upgradation and renovation of existing hospitals and creation of infrastructure.
“Jammu and Kashmir will get a total amount of Rs 632.67 crores for improvement of health sector this year from the PMDP. This amount apart, the State budget has also allocated Rs 189 crore for Health and Medical Education Department,” they said.
The Centre, according to sources, has made it clear that rest of the funds under the PMDP would be released only when the State Government identified the projects taken up with the amount given to it. This has been done to ensure accountability and proper utilization of funds in all the sectors.
Health and Medical Education Minister Bali Bhagat confirmed release of Rs 275 crore by the Government of India to the State for upgradation of infrastructure and raising other facilities in health sector and hoped that the funds would go a long way in improving healthcare facilities especially in rural and remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Bhagat said he has submitted detailed note on start of work in two All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and two remaining Medical Colleges at Doda and Kathua to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and sought time from them for laying foundation stone of four prestigious projects.
Sources said the Government has transferred 270.23 acre land at Vijaypur in favour of Health and Medical Education Department for construction of the AIIMS while 275.82 acre land has been kept at disposal of the Department at Awantipora for the similar project.
For Jammu AIIMS, the CPWD has floated tenders for construction of pillars while approach road to the building will be constructed by the Works Department. The PHE and PDD have been asked to supply water and electricity at the project site. At Awantipora, the CPWD teams would visit the spot soon.
The State health and Medical Education Ministry has forwarded a detailed note to the Prime Minister’s Office on completion of all facilities for laying foundation stone of the two AIIMS and sought timing.
Similarly, the Ministry has also briefed Union Health and Medical Education Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda that entire work for laying foundation of two more Government Medical Colleges in the State at Doda and Kathua has been completed.
A total of five Government Medical Colleges had been sanctioned by the Central Government for Jammu and Kashmir. The foundation stone of three Medical Colleges at Anantnag, Baramulla and Rajouri was laid on May 15, 2016 by Nadda along with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
However, foundation stone of Kathua and Doda Medical Colleges couldn’t be laid along with three other Medical Colleges due to delay in completion of formalities including transfer of land to the Health and Medical Education Department. The formalities have now been completed, sources said.
Each new Medical College will have 100 MBBS seats and 300 beds, they added.
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