The State government has decided “in principle” to take over the two medical college projects started by the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) subject to certain conditions.
Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday said the State was willing to take over the colleges and meet the recurring expenditure provided the ESIC funded the balance capital cost of Rs. 571.23 crore.
The Corporation had indicated that the cost of the college and hospital being established in Chennai was Rs. 494.62 crore. And the one proposed in Coimbatore was being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 580.57 crore.
“I would like to bring to your notice that the cost at which these medical college projects have been undertaken is very high, as establishment of a government medical college and hospital by the State government works out to only around Rs.200 crore. Even for the Medical Colleges funded through Government of India, the project cost has been indicated as Rs.189 crore only,” he said.
