Imphal, February 06: With the authority concerned still unable to furnish detailed project report for upgrading the RIMS to the status of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) till date, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's assurance of Rs 100 crores for the same purpose is lying idle in the bank.

When contacted the Superintendent of RIMS, Dr Y Mohen however said that the amount is yet to be released as there are some formalities to be finalised.

The proposal to upgrade RIMS has already been approved by the Ministry of Health and the programme was included in the economic package announced by the PM in November 2004.On his visit to the State then, Dr Manmohan Singh assured Rs 100 crores in the first phase for development of RIMS.

The amount was meant for construction of a 100 bedded gynaecology ward, a super speciality block, staff quarters and installation of uninterrupted power supply.

According to a reliable, the RIMS authority is still working to prepare a detailed project report of Rs 99.9 crores.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Health has asked the RIMS authority to engage Hospital Service Consultant Corporation which is an undertaking of the GovT of India for construction works in RIMS.

The Ministry of Health also suggested the RIMS authority to prepare the detailed project report of Rs 99.9 crores in consultation with the Corporation, informed a reliable source.

The NE Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Medical Sciences at Shillong was also constructed by the same Corporation at the cost of Rs 450 crores.

However, most interestingly a detailed project report of Rs 129.9 crores for phase II of the RIMS development programme has already been submitted to the Ministry of Health, informed the source. The exact project cost of the second phase RIMS development programme is Rs 130 crores.

The project components of the second phase as listed in the detailed project report includes construction of dental college, nursing college and a new OPD block.

As the Ministry of Health is authorised to sanction up to Rs 150 crores without seeking approval of the Union Cabinet, the same amount of Rs 150 crores is expected to be released very shortly, added the source.

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