HP to set up Medical University at ESIC Hospital

Shimla : Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said the state government would set up first Medical University in Mandi district. The State Cabinet took this decision unanimously to establish this facility at ESIC Medical College at Ner Chowk, which already has a fully furnished Rs 850-crore worth building there, he added.

Mr Thakur alleged that speech delivered by the BJP local MLA Suresh Bhardwaj on the Budget discussion stink partisan and regionalism as the decision to set up Medical University was rational and the Cabinet decided om it after long deliberation.

"There are four Parliamentary segments in the state and each had one or more than one university, national and state education institution or recruitment board baring Mandi did not have a single university or institution," Mr Thakur said.Minister said that Shimla is state capital of Himachal Pradesh and there is no question to shift the capital from here. He said that Dharmshala is already declared and functioning as winter capital never given special preference.

Mr Thakur said that Indra Gandhi Medical College Hospital never discriminate by the present government and Level-one Rs 56 Cr Trauma Centre being set up in IGMC as the two flour of new complex would be dedicated for the centre. He said that a central team visited IGMC recently and gave the report that it could not house a Rs 100 crore Super Speciality center, for which the state had shortlisted 150 bigha land at Malana in the outskirts of the town.

Earlier, targeting the Congress government to undermine his Assembly segment, Mr Bhardwaj said that Shimla has remained the capital of India, Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and it has been the capital of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. He said a number of departments were being shifted to Dharamshala, however, some of the Ministers had stated publicly that they did not inform the Cabinet to declare Dharamsala as second Capital.

The government did not deliver the Agenda of meeting to the Cabinet Ministers and took this decision arbitrarily. Mr Bhardwaj also cordoned the treasury benches, when he said that IGMC was the first contender for the Medical University.

Moreover, specialist doctors are being shifted to the Medical College Nahan. He also pointed out that two story parking was build up during the BJP rule in 2003 at Yodha Niwas in Shimla. The parking lot could not be developed further as it need felling of two green tree in the parking objected by the Cong.

He questioned that why same trees were now felled to further expend the parking. He also pointed out that trees were felled at Taradevi forest however, no action has been taken. He also pointed out that Government taken partisan approach after shortlisting Dharmshala in Smart Citi Project.

He said that government did not compete townships properly before shortlisting it for the national project. BJP member alleged that on behalf of Chief Minister centre government after giving 95 marks to the Dharmshala ignoring Shimla. He said that during the Snowfall on Jan 6 and 7 this year people of town remained without power, electricity and water.

He alleged that chairman of State Disaster Management Board Mr. Rajinder Rana did not visit town and keep on giving statement on demonetisation from Jalandhar of Punjab. The town remained in dark on broad day light for more than two weeks however Chief Minister went on Kangra touri and Deputy Commissioner was also out of town.