Chandel medical college will be delayed : CM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 20 2020: As Chandel district hospital does not fulfil the criteria prescribed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to upgrade 100 district hospitals of the country to the level of medical colleges, the work of upgrading the district hospital to the level of a medical college would be delayed for some time.

This was stated by Chief Minister N Biren in the State Assembly today in response to a call attention motion raised by MLA K Ranjit.

As demanded by the Central Government to recommend a district hospital for upgrading to the level of a medical college under the Prime Minister's initiative, the State Government recommended the district hospitals of Chandel, Thoubal and Churachandpur and preference was given to Chandel district hospital, Biren said.

As per the guidelines of the Central Government, the district hospital which should be upgraded to the level medical college should have 200 beds and 20 acres of land.

Churachandpur district hospital fulfils this criteria and as such the district hospital has been approved for upgrading to the level of a medical college.

But Thoubal district hospital does not have the area prescribed in the guideline.

Nonetheless, the Government marked certain area at the place earlier identified for construction of National Sports University.

Chandel district hospital does not fulfil either of the two criteria.

It has only 50 beds but another building is being constructed to upgrade its capacity to 100 beds.

Chandel DC was asked to acquire necessary land so that the State Government can lobby with the Central Government to upgrade Chandel district hospital too to the level of a medical college even though it does not fulfil the criteria of 200 beds, Biren said.

The estimated cost for upgrading a district hospital to the level of a medical college is Rs 250 crore.

As more funds would be required to develop infrastructure and purchase equipment, the DC was asked to find out areas which would not need land development as any area which needs land development would entail extra expenditure, the Chief Minister told the House.

Raising the call attention motion, K Ranjit said that the Lambung Village Authority had written to the Chandel DC saying that they would provide 20 acres to 40 acres for establishment of a medical college in their village.

However, the DC recommended another place to the Government without informing anyone, Ranjit said.

Saying that Chandel district is the most backward district among the hill districts of Manipur, Ranjit urged the Government to give priority to Chandel district.

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