All 5 Medical Colleges, AHs to be complete by year end: CS

Srinagar: During a review of the progress of works on all the newly established Medical Colleges across J&K besides the ongoing work on the two All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) being established at Vijaypur (Jammu) and Awantipora (Kashmir) here with Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta , it was stated that all five Medical colleges approved during phase one shall be completed before end of the financial year.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Health; MD, JKPCC; Chief Engineers of PWD Kashmir/Jammu besides other concerned officers.
It was impressed upon all concerned to complete all the pending works of Colleges such as Academic, Administrative and Hostel Blocks by June this year and finish works of all Associated Hospitals (AHs) by the year end. It was emphasized that the academic and medical activities at these colleges should not get affected in any way.
The progress of two new Medical Colleges being established at Udhampur and Handwara (Kupwara) was also discussed. It was stressed that necessary steps be completed for starting academic activities there.
The meeting was informed that the Academic, Administrative and Hostel blocks at all the earlier sanctioned 05 Medical Colleges are nearing completion and only few minor works are under progress to be completed at an earliest. It was further added that the work on Udhampur College has been taken in hand recently and the tenders for Handwara College have been opened and contract would be awarded soon.
Moreover it was added that with the operationalization of these 05 New Medical Colleges in Phase-I, the intake capacity of MBBS seats in the J&K has increased from 500 to 1100 seats annually. The intake capacity is expected to further increase to 1300 MBBS seats this year with the start of academic session in GMC Udhampur and Handwara sanctioned under Phase-III of Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Establishment of Medical Colleges. The Letter of Permission (LoP) has been received in favour of GMC Udhampur and Handwara for 100 MBBS seats each recently from the National Medical Commission. Additionally, two new AIIMS at Vijaypur and Awantipora shall add another 200 MBBS seats.
The meeting further deliberated upon the status of two AIIMS level Hospitals being established at Vijaypur (Samba) and Awantipora (Pulwama). It was said that the AIIMS, Vijaypur is all set to be dedicated to public by October this year and AIIMS, Awantipora by 2025 after 34 more acres of land were provided to the institute for its updated design.
It is pertinent to mention here that the medical infrastructure and education has been given a major push during the past couple of years. Besides these 07 Medical Colleges and 2 AIIMS level Institutions, 07 new Nursing Colleges shall also be set up across the J&K. Further, the District and Sub-District Hospitals are given being given adequate manpower in addition to other infrastructure required for providing quality health care to public.