Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 1: Union Minster of Health J P Nadda will lay the foundation stone of remaining two Government Medical College (GMCs) in Jammu region one at Kathua and another at Doda on June 10.
Nadda has consented to visit the State tentatively on June 10 to lay the foundation stone of two medical colleges out of new five Medical Colleges which were sanctioned for J&K State by Union Government some years back, highly placed sources told Excelsior.
The foundation stone of these two Medical Colleges could not be laid last year on May 15 along with other three Medical Colleges of Rajouri, Diyalgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir and Baramulla in North Kashmir as there was some problem in transfer of land.
Nadda will be accompanied by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Union Minister of State n PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh and Minister of Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat while laying the foundation stone of two Medical Colleges, sources said.
Both J P Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh will reach Jammu from Delhi in the morning through routine flight to Jammu and later visit Kathua by the State chopper along with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Bali Bhagat to lay the foundation stone of Medical College there at 11.30 am.
Sources said later they will also visit Doda by chopper to lay the foundation stone of another Medical College there in the afternoon. The both Union Ministers will leave for Delhi in the evening on the same day, sources added.
The two Medical Colleges will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 189 crore each, and will be completed in a span of two years from the date of start of the work, sources added.
Sources said, however, the price escalation can’t be ruled out as there is already a delay of one year in laying the foundation stone.
Sources said the Government has acquired 150 kanals of land at Chak Sajan Kathua for the construction of Medical College and the same has been transferred from Revenue Department to Medical Education Department also. Earlier, there was a dispute over the selection of site among the local leaders in Kathua which delayed the laying of foundation stone of the Kathua Medical College last year, sources added.
Sources said that Government has also acquired 160 kanals of land for Medical College Doda adjacent to Doda town and the same has also been transferred to Medical Education Department of the State. During last year the land could not be transferred due to completion of certain formalities, sources added.
Sources said that with the construction of three Medical Colleges including one of Rajouri on which work is already going on the rush of patients on GMC Jammu will decrease to a great extent and the patients will also get better medical services and attention of doctors.
Likewise, with the construction of two Medical Colleges one at Diyalgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir and another at Baramulla in North Kashmir the rush of patients on Srinagar Medical College and Soura Medical Institute will decrease to a great extent.
It may be recalled that Union Government had sanctioned five Medical Colleges for the J&K State over some years back which will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 945 crore.
The Kathua and Doda Medical Colleges will have 100 MBBS seats and 300 bedded hospital each. The tendering process for the construction of two Medical Colleges will begin soon after the laying of foundation stone, sources said, adding the efforts will be made to complete the construction of these two colleges along with other three Medical Colleges of the State so that there is no delay in their timely completion.
Sources said with the construction of the new Medical Colleges the district hospitals in the respective towns will continue to maintain their separate identity but they also will be close to the college complexes.
Sources said that the formalities for laying the foundation stone of the two Colleges were completed earlier but due to preoccupation of Union Health Minister who had gone abroad last month the tentative date for laying the foundation stone could not be fixed earlier.
Sources said with the establishment of five new Medical Colleges in the State there would not only be a notable improvement in the overall health care services in the J&K but the State will become self sufficient in creating the manpower (doctors and para medical staff) in manning the health institutions.
Sources said the State Government will also continue to make its best efforts to further augment the health sector with the active support of Union Government and there will be a considerable change in the health sector after the two AIIMS will come up in the State.
As the Union Government is liberal in providing funds and other logistic support to State Government it is the golden opportunity for the State Government to give impetus to the health sector.
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