By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 13: The Centre has released its entire share of Rs 171.10 crore to Meghalaya for the construction of the Tura Medical College.
Replying to unstarred questions in Parliament by Tura MP Saleng A Sangma, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel said that the Ministry administers a centrally-sponsored scheme for establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing government or private medical college.
The overall physical progress of the Tura Medical College project stands at 73%, the MoS said while making it clear that there is no plan under consideration for the construction of a 500-bed hospital as part of the Tura Medical College.
Informing that the fund sharing mechanism between the Centre and state governments is in the ratio of 90:10 for Northeastern and special category states, and 60:40 for others, Patel said under Phase-I of the Scheme, Tura Medical College at Doldegre, West Garo Hills, was approved in 2017 at a cost of Rs 189 crore to be shared between the Centre and the state government in the ratio of 90:10. She said that the as per guidelines of the scheme, the planning, execution and commissioning of the medical colleges approved under the scheme is to be done by the state government, adding that as informed by the Meghalaya government, geographical region, short working hours and climate conditions are amongst the prominent challenges causing delay in completion of project.