From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Assam health minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday informed that the foundation for three more medical colleges in the state would be laid in the first half of January next year.
“The foundation stone for the Kokrajhar Medical College will be laid on January 6, 2019, that of Nalbari Medical College on January 7, 2019 while the foundation for Tinsukia Medical College will be laid on January 9, 2019,” Sarma told reporters on Wednesday.
The three medical colleges will be set up in three years with an investment of about Rs 1400 crore.
“Already, the tenders have been floated, amount sanctioned while work will be allotted in the next three days. So work will begin immediately after the foundation stones are laid,”, Sarma said.
Currently, Assam has six medical colleges with 726 seats.
“Besides, construction of four medical colleges is under way. The Diphu Medical College will be inaugurated next year with already 74 per cent construction completed. Work is under way to construct Lakhimpur Medical College (54 per cent progress), Nagaon Medical College (50 per cent progress) and Dhubri Medical College (38 per cent progress),” he informed.
With the four additional medical colleges, the number of seats will go up to 1100.
“The projects under way and which are to be undertaken from January, 2019 will boost medical infrastructure apart from augmenting the number of seats in medical colleges of Asam significantly,” the minister said.