Satya Kumar flays YSRCP govt for ruining new med colleges

Vijayawada: Minister for medical and health and family welfare Y Satya Kumar Yadav came down heavily on the previous YSRCP government alleging that it had spent only 10 per cent of the funds required for construction of the new medical colleges and ruined the medical colleges sanctioned by the Central government.

He said the YSRCP government had spent only Rs 1,400 crore in five years as against Rs 8,400 crore needed for new colleges in two phases. He said the YSRCP government had introduced the self-finance courses and blaming the NDA government for it.

The minister was replying to members on questions about the progress in construction of new medical colleges and self-finance courses in Legislative Council on Thursday.

He said the medical students are suffering in Rajamahendravaram due to lack of classrooms, labs and other facilities. There is shortage of 47 per cent staff in Pulivendula medical college. Though notification was issued for the recruitment of 320 assistant professors and other faculty posts in the state, but there is no response from the faculty, he lamented.

He said faculty is not willing to come to Pulivendula and teach the students due to lack of facilities at Pulivendula. He said the YSRCP government had totally ignored the construction of medical colleges in the state forcing the students to suffer.

Referring to medical college in Vizianagaram, the minister said the YSRCP government had spent only Rs 103 crore as against the Rs 500 crore allocated. He said the ministers representing the Vizianagaram district also did not know the progress of the medical college works.

Similarly, the government had spent only Rs 28 crore on Rajamahendravaram medical college as against Rs 475 crore needed.

He said the students are suffering due to starting classes without providing amenities and basic infrastructure.

Giving details of the Pulivendula medical college, Satya Kumar said the government had spent only Rs 293 crore as against the Rs 500 crore allocated for the college. He questioned how the NDA government could spend Rs 207 crore in two months and which contractor would come forward to take up works worth Rs 207 crore and complete them in two months.

Responding to a question by Mondithoka Arun Kumar on the self-finance courses, the minister said the YSRCP government had started these courses in medicine and the same party is now questioning the NDA government on the issue. He said the NDA government would try to complete the construction works of the medical colleges in the state with the assistance of the Central government.