Tamil Nadu, where the ruling AIADMK government intends to establish a government medical college in every district, formally got the 19 such institution on Thursday when Chief Minister Jayalalithaa inaugurated the Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College.
The new facility, in one of the backward districts of the State, will have 100 seats in the current academic year. With this and approvals from the Medical Council of India for adding 310 more seats in other institutions, the total number of medical seats in Tamil Nadu is 2,555. The number last academic year was 2,145, an official release said.
The inauguration, as part of which Ms.Jayalalithaa, some ministers, senior officials, including Health Secretary J.Radhakrishnan, participated in a video conference from the State Secretariat, had a student of the college thanking the Chief Minister.
Besides setting aside 25 acres for the college premises, Ms.Jayalalithaa approved a State government proposal to establish the facility at a cost of Rs.130.88 crore. As part of the project, facilities had been created, incurring an expenditure of Rs.73.16 crore, to conduct classes for the first year. Administrative building, hostels and library formed part of the project.
A total of 192 permanent posts, including those of professors, doctors, nurses, para-medical staff, as approved by the council had been created and filled. The Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, the release said, was also in the process of procuring equipment required for the college at a cost of Rs.16.82 crore.
