Kerala :State government allots 10 crore to GMC, Ernakulam

Kochi: The Government Medical College, Ernakulam has been allocated Rs. 10 Crore by the state government to resolve various infrastructural and finance issues facing it.

This fund allocation is the first fund transfer after the college was handed over to the state from the Co-operative Academy of Professional Education (CAPE) nearly four years ago. Another Rs. 5 crore was also given as grant to the college in the previous budget, as well.

The Rs 10 crore is a special allocation from the plan fund.According to college officials, a communication regarding the allocation has already been received by them and the government has now asked them to prepare a project implementation report regarding the use of the fund.

According to sources, the college is planning to buy a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning machine costing approximately Rs 9 cr.

Speaking about the immediate release of the fund, the college officials said, that since the money was part of the plan fund for the 2016-17 fiscal, the transfer would be immediate.

John Fernandez, an Anglo-Indian representative in the state assembly had earlier announced Rs 5 crore from his assets development fund, tfor procurement of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners for the college.

"We will be using the Rs 5 crore offered by John Fernandez for procuring CT scanning machine. We will be writing to the health department as well the MLA regarding this, " the sources added.

Installation of scanners would help patients get CT and MRI scans done at Rs. 1,800 and Rs. 7,500 respectively. Private hospitals charge Rs. 8,000 and Rs 15,000, instead.

Another Rs.1.1 cr government allocation released four months ago is yet to be transferred into the account of Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL), a government body responsible for procuring equipment on behalf of medical colleges and hospitals.

The file in this case is believed to be pending with the Department of Finance.Dr V K Sreekala, Principal, GMC, however, clarified saying"Now, the finance department has cleared it. Still, it needs clearance from some other departments,"