Punjab set to be a major medical education hub
The Punjab Government has shown its commitment towards providing cheaper and quality health services and is taking all necessary steps to ensure that the people of the state are not deprived of quality health services. The Budget for health services and family welfare has been increased by 15 per cent. The state government is of the opinion that it is easier to construct hospital and medical services but the bigger challenge is to develop qualified doctors and allied staff. Thus, taking giant leaps in this regard, which the previous government failed to do, the State Government is now going to open 3 medical colleges and the state will soon be a major medical education hub.
The Government Medical College at Mohali shall start functioning from the year 2020-21 for which the Society has been registered. Director Principal has also been appointed. The charge of the hospital and other related health centres has been given to Medical Education and Research Department. A budget of Rs. 10 crores has been earmarked for Guru Nanak Dev Government Medical College. Central Government has also released the first installment of Rs. 81 lakhs out of its share. A total of Rs. 325 crores are estimated to be spent on this college. Tertiary Cancer Centre for cancer patients is under construction at Fazilka and is proposed for Hoshiarpur. A budget of Rs. 4 crores has been released during 2019-20 while for the 2020-21 period, Rs. 33 crores have been budgeted.
Further, the land at Ferozpur to set up a satellite centre of PGI has been transferred to the concerned authorities. For the State Cancer Institute, Amritsar, Rs. 38.33 croreshave been budgeted of which Rs. 21.46 crores have been budgeted for major works and Rs. 17.2 crores have been budgeted for machinery.
Its been since long that a Medical College has been established in the State. With the efforts of this government, a medical college is being started in S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali) which will start its operations from the academic session 2020-21. Rs. 157 croreshave been budgeted for its construction and establishment costs. Besides this, for establishment of medical colleges at Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala, distribution of initial sum of Rs. 10 crores is proposed. For which expected approvals have already been received. The academic sessions in these two colleges are proposed from session 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively. Rs. 897 crores have been reserved in the 2020-21 budget which is 49 percent more than the 2019-20 (revised estimate).
(The above content has been received from the Punjab Government under The Tribune Space Marketing Initiative)
