25 Districts in Bihar have no Medical Colleges, 8 to be set up soon: Health Minister

Providing details regarding the new medical colleges that are going to be set up under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for "Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals", the Union Health Minister said, "Under Phase I of the Scheme, three medical colleges at -Purnia, Saran and Samastipur districts of Bihar were sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 189 crore each. In Phase II of the Scheme, five medical colleges at - Sitamarhi, Jaanjharpur, Siwan, Buxar, and Jamui districts of Bihar were sanctioned at a unit cost of Rs. 250 crore each. The entire Central Share for Phase I and Phase II colleges has been released to the State Government in respect of the colleges sanctioned."

"Further, all the States/UTs were requested for proposals in respect of establishment of medical colleges under Phase-III of the Scheme. However, no proposal was received from the State Government of Bihar under Phase-III," added the Minister in his written statement before the Parliament on Friday.

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Minister Mandaviya was replying to a series of questions related to the details of medical colleges in the State of Bihar. Shri Mahabali Singh who raised the questions before the Parliament sought to know about the names of the districts in Bihar which do not have medical colleges along with the reasons. His questions further included regarding the steps taken by the Government for setting up medical college in each of the districts in Bihar and about the outcome.

Giving details about the functioning medical colleges in Bihar, the Union Health Minister stated that currently 13 districts in the State have medical colleges, whereas Patna has the highest number of medical colleges, i.e. 5.

Apart from Patna, the other districts which have functioning medical colleges are Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Katihar, Kishanganj, Madhepura, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Rohtas, Saharsa, and West Champaran.

Around 25 districts in the State still do not have any medical colleges. Those districts are- Araria, Arwal, Aurangabad, Banka, Begusarai, Bhojpur, Buxar, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Jamui, Jehanabad, Kaimur, Khagaria, Lakhisarai, Munger, Nawada, Purnia, Samastipur, Saran, Sheikhpura, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Siwan, Supaul, and Vaishali.

Informing the Parliament about the scheme, Minister Mandaviya mentioned, "The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for "Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals" to provide financial support to the States / UTs for establishment of medical college by upgrading the district hospitals in districts which do not have either a government or a private medical college. Fund sharing between the Central Government and States is in the ratio of 90:10 for NE/special category States and 60:40 for other States."

"The entire Central Share for Phase I and Phase II colleges has been released to the State Government in respect of the colleges sanctioned," clarified the MOHFW.