Centre approved 3 medical colleges, 1040 PG medical seats in Andhra Pradesh: MoS Health

New Delhi: Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme the Central Government has approved three medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh, Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar recently informed the Parliament.

Apart from this, the Union Government has given its nod for increasing 150 MBBS and 1040 Postgraduate medical seats in the State in three and 11 medical colleges respectively.

The MoS Health also informed that as per the National Medical Commission (NMC), there are 32 Medical Colleges, including 13 in Government Sector, in the State of Andhra Pradesh.

"The request received from State Government of Andhra Pradesh for establishment of medical colleges was not considered as all 157 new medical colleges under the scheme are already sanctioned," informed the Minister.

Also Read: Andhra Pradesh gets 3 Medical Colleges under Centrally Sponsored Scheme: MoS Health

Dr. Pawar was responding to a number of questions regarding the government medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh. Raised by Rajya Sabha member Shri V. Vijaysai Reddy, these questions included if the Ministry was aware about the problem faced by people in Andhra Pradesh to avail tertiary medical facilities, the matter concerning absence of medical colleges in the 12 districts of the State, and also about the State Government's request to set up new medical colleges in these 12 districts.

Replying to these queries, Dr. Pawar informed that, "The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for 'Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals' with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. Under the Scheme, the envisaged 157 new medical colleges have been approved in three phases including three medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh at Piduguralla, Paderu and Machilipatnam."

"Under the CSS for upgradation of Central/State Government Medical Colleges for increasing MBBS seats, 150 MBBS seats were approved for increase in 03 Medical Colleges of Andhra Pradesh. Further, under two phases of CSS for Strengthening and upgradation of State Government Medical Colleges for starting new PG discipline and increasing PG seats, total of 1040 PG seats have been approved for increase in 11 Medical Colleges in the State of Andhra Pradesh," Dr. Pawar informed.

"As per the National Medical Commission, there are 32 Medical Colleges, including 13 in Government Sector, in the State of Andhra Pradesh. The request received from State Government of Andhra Pradesh for establishment of medical colleges was not considered as all 157 new medical colleges under the scheme are already sanctioned," she further added.

Medical Dialogues had reported earlier this year that the MoS Health had informed that three medical colleges had been approved in Andhra Pradesh under the Phase III of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 'Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals'.

Although there were seven proposals of setting up medical colleges in the State, three of them have been sanctioned and those three medical colleges are going to come up at Piduguralla, Paderu and Machilipatnam, the Parliament had been told earlier.

Recently, the Andhra Pradesh Minister for Health, Medical, Family Welfare and Medical Education Vidadala Rajani urged the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya for providing financial assistance to the State for setting up 17 new medical colleges in the St

Also Read: AP Health Minister seeks Central Govt financial support for 17 new Medical Colleges