VIJAYAWADA: Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav reiterated that medical colleges under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model are a viable solution to enhance accessibility to medical education for all eligible students.
Speaking during a short discussion on ‘Medical Colleges in PPP Mode’ in the Legislative Council, the Minister criticised the previous YSRCP government for prioritising lavish party office constructions, including a Rs 451 crore palace, over establishing medical colleges across the State, particularly neglecting regions beyond Pulivendula.
The Minister accused the YSRCP of lacking commitment to making medical education accessible to poor students, alleging they spread misinformation about the PPP model due to ignorance.
He clarified that PPP is distinct from privatisation, lamenting that a former Chief Minister’s failure to understand this difference was unfortunate for the State.
Nationally, Rs 8.44 lakh crore worth of projects operate under PPP, including medical colleges in States like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Under PPP, private entities invest and operate colleges on government land, with ownership reverting to the State after 33 years. Each college will have 150 seats, with 50% under the convenor quota offered free, and 625 beds, with 70% reserved for free treatment under the Dr NTR Health Services Scheme, he said.
The Minister highlighted the YSRCP’s mismanagement, noting that despite approving Rs 8,480 crore for 17 medical colleges, only Rs 1,550 crore was spent, relying solely on Central and NABARD funds.