Madhya Pradesh: Huge Delays in setting up of Medical colleges

Bhopal : The seven new medical colleges sanctioned by the state government in 2013 are facing inordinate delays in becoming operational; the primary reason behind this being delay in the release of funds by the centre.

The seven places granted institutional sanction for medical institutions in 2013 were Ratlam, Shivpuri, Chhindwara, Shahdol, Vidisha, Datia and Khandwa.

Three years from being granted sanction for establishing institutions only 20 percent work seems to have reached completion in medical colleges at Ratlam, Shahdol, Vidisha, Datia and Khandwa.

At Shivpuri and Chhindwara sites, DPRs are ready though tenders for construction yet to be floated reported GS Patel to the Free Press; the department will be applying to the MCI for recognition in 2017 he further added. A sum of Rs. 189crore had been sanctioned by the union government, which is 75 % of the project cost for these colleges, the rest is to be a contribution made by the state government.

The MCI has already inspected the colleges of Datia and Khandwa and granted recognition to the two institutions.

The department will apply to the MCI in 2017 for recognition to these colleges. He said that the union government had allocated Rs 189 crore which is 75 per cent of the project cost recently for these medical colleges. The remaining 25 percent amount will be contributed by the state government. The MCI has inspected the colleges of Datia and Khandwa and has given recognition to the institutions. Further 30 Crores has been allocated for the renovation of the hospital and another 50 crores has been granted for purchase of equipment.

The work on Ratlam Medical College is a bit faster with Rs 21.20 crore spent so far.
Of the 30 lakh allocated for the college, Rs 25 lakh has been spend. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is MLA from Budhni constituency of Vidisha district.

While the Health Minister Narratom Mishra is an MLA from Datia yet the work on the medical college is proceeding at a snail’s pace.

Medical Education in India has many takers; the MCI liberally allows interested parties to initiate setting up of medical institutions with a promise of completing both infrastructural and faculty requirements within the five year span of commencing. Yet the state of colleges and students remains pitiable. In some cases its lack of faculty, in others infrastructural and equipment and furniture delays. It’s time for MCI to sit up to the current state of affairs and see what can be done at policy level to do away with apathy and neglect plaguing medical education in the country.