SAD but TRUE: Only 5 new medical colleges set up in last 3 years

New Delhi: The government has voiced concern over the tardy progress in setting up of medical colleges in the country with only five of the proposed 58 colleges coming up in the last three years.

In a recent meeting, the Union Health Ministry has directed 19 states and a Union territory, where these medical colleges will come up, to expedite the work.

The Centre had in 2014 announced its plans to set up 58 government medical colleges in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Bihar by December 2018.

"These 58 colleges are being set up in northern and northeastern states which have inadequate number of government medical colleges despite some of the states being densely populated.