Acting swiftly on Punjab Chief Minister Captain AmarinderSingh's announcement, a state-level committee approved the proposal to set up anew medical college in Malerkotla at the cost of Rs 368.92 crore, at itsmeeting, chaired by the Chief Secretary, Ms Vini Mahajan, here this morning.Member Parliament from Patiala, Ms. Preneet Kaur, also participated in themeeting.
The committee has been constituted under the PrimeMinister’s 15 Point Programme for the Economic, Social and EducationalDevelopment of Minorities.
MP Preneet Kaur said a medical college was needed toprovide better healthcare and medical education facilities to the people ofMalerkotla and its adjoining areas.
She said the establishment of this medical institutewould also help to create more employment opportunities in the medical fieldbesides providing medical education opportunities to the youth which wouldhelp in overcoming the shortage of doctors in Punjab.
Sharing details, the Chief Secretary said the medicalcollege would be set up over 24.44 acres of land in Malerkotla Block-2 andwould be connected to the local sub-divisional civil hospital. She said theland for this project has been provided on lease by the Punjab Waqf Board.
The Chief Secretary said 100 students are proposed to beadmitted to the medical college in the first year. It has been estimated tospend Rs 43.66 crore per annum for the operation of the college. In addition,the local civil hospital would be upgraded to 500 beds, she announced.
The Chief Secretary issued instructions to make financialarrangements for this project in the revised budget.
Principal Secretary, Medical Education, and Research, DKTiwari, said all the conditions for opening a new medical college have beenfulfilled as per the instructions issued by the National Medical Commission.
Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Minorities, RajiP Shrivastava informed that a proposal to open a new agriculture college underPunjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, in Kalanaur block of Gurdaspurdistrict under the Central scheme has also been sent to the Union Government.
Additional Chief Secretary Rural Development andPanchayats Seema Jain, Principal Secretary Finance KAP Sinha, Director SocialJustice and Minorities Malwinder Singh Jaggi and Sangrur Deputy CommissionerRamvir also attended the meeting.