Nearly two years after announcing the commencement of work on the Government medical college at Ukkinadukka here, uncertainty continues over its fate with no concrete assurance coming from the authorities concerned.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy laid the foundation stone for the medical college in November 2013. Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar had promised immediate commencement of the Rs.188-crore project. But the work is getting delayed mainly due to administrative lapses and lack of political will on the part of the district administrative committee chaired by MLA N.A. Nellikkunnu.
The project, with a 20.95 per cent revised work estimate, has been waiting for months for the approval of the technical committee headed by the Health Secretary. No person or authority is in a position to comment on the fate of the project.
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The grim scenario prevails despite transferring Rs.5 crore of the Rs.67-crore NABARD loan and Rs.25 crore of the Rs.80 crore earmarked by P. Prabhakaran commission from the State exchequer.
Mr. Sivakumar had said that the medical college would be operational by 2017.
Special officer in-charge of the proposed medical college P.G.R. Pillai expressed concern over the undue delay in the commencement of the work. Any further delay in the work would increase the project cost, he added.
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Mr. Nellikkunnu said he had recently drawn the attention of the Health Secretary to the issue and the work would commence shortly.
The grim scenario prevails despite transferring Rs.5 crore of the Rs.67-crore NABARD loan and Rs.25 crore of the Rs.80 crore earmarked by the State exchequer.