HYDERABAD: The Central government has established 157 new medical colleges attached to district hospitals across the country, but none has been established in Telangana, as per the data provided in the Lok Sabha on Friday.In response to a question, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya provided information on the new medical colleges established in the country under the ‘establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ scheme.
In Phase-I of the scheme, 58 medical colleges were approved in 20 States/UTs, in Phase II 24 new medical colleges were approved in eight States/UTs and in Phase-III 75 new medical colleges were approved in 18 States/UTs. The Central share of the funds for the scheme is 60 per cent, while that of the State is 40 per cent, except in the Northeastern States, where the State’s share is 90 per cent. However, Telangana has not been sanctioned any college in either of the three phases, although three new colleges were sanctioned in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, 11 in Tamil Nadu and four in Karnataka. As many as 27 medical colleges have been sanctioned under this scheme so far.
Apart from this, not a single medical college in Telangana has benefitted from the Central government’s scheme for upgradation of existing State government/Central government medical colleges to increase the MBBS seats in the country. Under this scheme, seats have been increased in 48 medical colleges in the country across 15 States.
Similarly, Telangana has not benefitted from another Central government scheme for strengthening and upgrading State government medical colleges for launching new PG disciplines and increasing PG seats. Under Phase-II, launched in 2018, a total of 16 government medical colleges have been approved in four states, but none in Telangana. Also, as per a reply submitted by the Union Health Minister to another question in the Lok Sabha, the Centre has released only `23.85 crore of the sanctioned `1,028 crore for AIIMS, Bibinagar.
INFRA NOT UPGRADED FOR PG DISCIPLINES
Telangana has not benefitted from another Central government scheme, which aims at strengthening and upgrading State government medical colleges for launching new PG disciplines and increasing PG seats. Under Phase-II of the scheme, launched in 2018, a total of 16 government medical colleges have been approved in 4 States, but none in TS