The government has initiated steps to bring the recently started medical college here under the Health Department after delinking it from the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Welfare Department.
The State has found that the project is a drain on funds for the welfare of socially and economically backward communities.
Conceived by the then United Democratic Front government, the college was established expending ₹800 crore from the special component plan fund for SC/ST Welfare.
Indicating his department’s stance, SC/ST Welfare Minister A.K. Balan said the LDF government had sanctioned ₹325 crore more from the department’s funds for improving facilities at the medical college, which is yet to overcome teething troubles.
“Running a medical college involves huge expenditure every year. Spending more money from the department’s funds on the medical college will definitely affect the welfare projects targeting the most backward among the communities. It will be handed over to the Health Department soon after completing the required procedures,” the Minister told the media here during an interaction on Sunday.
No allocation
Mr. Balan said as long as the medical college was under the SC/ST Welfare Department, there would not be budgetary allocations for its functioning.
Once under the Health Department, there would be budget support for the college every year.
“The Health Department is running all other government medical colleges in the State. There is no justification in spending SC/ST welfare fund for one particular medical college. Bringing it under the Health Department will be the only permanent and effective solution to the problems plaguing the institution,” Mr. Balan said.
Apart from sanctioning 280 new posts in the medical college, the SC/ST Department had also speeded up the process of building construction this year to facilitate hassle-free renewal of Indian Medical Council recognition. During its last inspection, the council had expressed its displeasure at the lack of required facilities and personnel at the college. At present, the college is meeting its clinical needs from the Government District Hospital here.