Although the State government has issued an order for setting up a government medical college in Karur in 2016-17 academic year, but it is yet to firm up the site and allocate funds for the institution.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had announced the setting up of the college in the State Assembly in August 2012. Although a Government Order was issued for starting the college and creation of the post of a Special Officer for the medical college, it is said that there was delay in taking steps for starting the college.
The college is unlikely to be started by 2016-17, going by the present pace of work pertaining to identification of land, preparation of project report for the construction of medical college hospital and administrative buildings, minimum time required for the tender process and approaching Medical Council of India (MCI) to get approval for intake. Enquiries revealed that a private individual had donated 20 acres of land at Kuppuchipalayam near Vangal on Karur-Vangal Road for setting up the college. The government has acquired another five acres from him, since the site was five acres short as per the MCI norms.
The land is about 10 km from the Government Hospital in Karur.
As per the MCI norms, the distance between the government hospital, if it is used as medical college hospital, and the new campus should not be more than 5 km. Apprehensions were raised whether the government and the MCI would accept the site or not. Enquiries revealed that the Public Works Department (PWD), which was supposed to take up construction work, has forwarded an estimate for Rs. 210 crore for the construction of medical college in February.
It was likely to be revised considering the cost escalation.
