The Union Ministry of Health has prepared a proposal to establish 100 new medical colleges by 2027 by upgrading district hospitals under the fourth phase of a scheme that aims to increase the availability of human resources for the health sector.
The colleges will be established under the centrally sponsored scheme for the “establishment of new medical colleges by upgrading district or referral hospitals” at an estimated cost of Rs 325 crore per college based on a central and state share of 60:40, sources official told PTI.
The funding pattern for the northeastern and special category states is in the 90:10 ratio of the center to the state.
The Ministry of Expenses has approved the Health Ministry’s proposal and a cabinet memorandum has already been prepared on the matter, official sources said.
In the last three phases, 157 medical colleges were approved, 93 of which have become functional, while others are in various stages of construction.
These proposed 100 medical colleges will be established in 100 districts with a population of more than 10 lakhs and where there are no private or government medical colleges.
“The proposal to establish 100 medical colleges by upgrading district hospitals in the fourth phase of the plan has been approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), after which a cabinet memorandum has been prepared,” said an official source.
Furthermore, the centrally sponsored scheme has a new strand of providing Rs 10 crore each to set up nursing schools attached to the existing 157 medical colleges already approved in the first three phases, the source added.
But this requires an adjustment to the existing minimum standard requirements of the NMC, which do not allow such a link between medical and nursing training.
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