Three GMCs to come up in Jammu and Kashmir

J&K: Health minister J.P Nadda has given a green signal to open three GMC’s in the state. At the same time, he has paused the opening of two more medical colleges. A total fund of Rs 567 crore has been sanctioned, with Rs 189 crore sanctioned for each college.

Five new medical colleges have been approved. The news colleges in the state will come up at Baramulla and Anantnag in Kashmir and Rajouri, Doda and Kathua in Jammu. Colleges of Baramulla, Anantnag and Rajouri will start the work, while decision on two other colleges has been put on hold till the formalities are completed..

The health minister has also approved the site for state’s AIIMS at Vijaypur. However, there are queries raised for AIIMS Kashmir at present.

Health and Medical Education Minister Bali Bhagat in his official statement on the matter implied that a formal go-ahead has been received by his ministry from the health minister to start the work on three medical colleges. He is also confident that the formalities for the balance two colleges will be completed soon. The foundation stone for selected new colleges will be laid before May 20.

A report in the Excelsior newspaper recently quoted Bali Bhagat commenting on queries raised by the Centre over land for opening of Kashmir AIIMS at Awantipora. Bali Bhagat said the queries pertained to limits of firing range of the Army.

“However, we have found that the land identified for the AIIMS at Awantipora was completely out of the firing range and we will revert back to the Union Health Ministry shortly after which the approval was expected,” he said and added that the Health Ministry had cleared land for Jammu AIIMS at Vijaypur, which had been shown to their team.

Regarding the medical college in Kathua, there are concerns with the health ministry about opening the college in a village. Ministry wants the identified land to be on the main road instead by the state health department.

For Doda medical college, there is administrative work pending on the project. Once these formalities are completed, it will receive a formal go-ahead from the Centre.