New Delhi: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan Tuesday denied of receiving any proposal from the Odisha government for setting up of two new medical colleges in the state.
The Union minister said in the Rajya Sabha that the Cabinet has approved establishment of 75 new medical colleges under Centrally-sponsored scheme. The state governments have been requested to send their proposals under this scheme along with detailed project report as per scheme guidelines for consideration by the ministry. He said 59 medical colleges have been approved and no proposal has been received from Odisha government.
“As on today, we haven’t received any request for setting up of new medical colleges in the state. If they have sent it, it will be received and considered by the committee concerned,” said Vardhan in Rajya Sabha.
Earlier, the Biju Janata Dal MP N Bhaskar Rao had asked the Union minister whether the government is planning to set up two new medical colleges in the state as proposed by the state government. The BJD MP said in the Upper House that the state government has written to the Centre proposing two new medical colleges in the state.
Significantly, BJD Parliamentary Party leader in the Upper House Prasanna Acharya wanted to know from the Health minister as to how many medical colleges are required in the country to improve doctor-population ratio and also asked about the steps taken by the government in this regard.
The Union minister said that to increase the doctor-population ratio, the Union government has increased the MBBS seats by 28,000 and for post-graduation courses by 17,000. He also said the government is also providing financial support to the medical colleges to increase the seats in different courses.
