Five major projects at GMC Nagpur lie shelved

Nagpur: Five major Centre funded institutional projects announced at Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur in the recent past continue to stand shelved. The reason given is shortage of funds at the state’s end and its disinterest in deploying fresh manpower , not to forget its passivity.However, the state authorities in an attempt to put the ball back in the accuser’s court, cite the reason to be the GMCH officials not having submitted the proposal in the required format.

Following are the projects that hang fire:

• Rs 120-crore regional institute for paramedical sciences (RIPS)


• Rs 40-crore spine injury care centre


• Rs 12 crore burn unit


• Rs 120 crore cancer institute


• Rs 600-crore lung institute( the latest project addition to this list)

Though meant to be centrally funded projects, the centre partakes a mere 60% of expense. The state government is supposed to share a 40% partnership in it.

GMC,Nagpur Dean, Dr A Niswade feels that the projects may be shelved, however, the Directorate Medical Education and Research is confident that none of them will be lost to the state.

"The state government is also waiting for other medical colleges having similar projects to submit their proposals. Hence there is a delay by the state government," added the Dean.

DMER Chief, Dr Pravin Shingare citing reasons for the projects not taking off said, “ The GMC,Nagpur may have announced all these projects but it has not sent the proposal of a single project in the proper format as is expected by the central government. Repeated reminders to GMCH,Nagpur didn't work and it is only now that the dean has agreed to send the proposals in the proper format."

Speaking about project status, Dr. Shingare said that the centre has asked the state to furnish supplementary information on both- the Geriatric Centre Project & the Spine Care Centre. However, the fact remains that the state has in principal has already accepted the setting up of the two in the state.’

With regards to RIPS, the oldest on the list, the DMER Chief said that in all probability work on the project would begin in the current financial year, reports TOI.

The entire construction and equipment installation Dr. Shingare informed was to be undertaken by the Central Public Works Department.

The Burn Centre, says the DMER stands riddled with problems. According to the DMER, the GMC, Nagpur officials want it on the existing premises of GMCH's burn ward. However, the DMER is of the opinion that plastic surgery being an integral part of burns, it can be set up in the Super Specialty Hospital (SSH). Plastic Surgery is a super specialty. A consensus is yet to be reached on this.

Surprisingly, Dr. Shingare is oblivious of the Lung Institute proposal, despite the magnitude of costs involved.