The stand of Congress Party, ANI on the issue of establishing Govt Medical College in Andaman ............................................................................................................................... Press release Strongly supporting the establishment of Govt Medical College in AN Islands as envisaged and opposing the ideas of having PG Medical courses prior to opening of MBBS course the PCC President Kuldeep Rai Sharma has written a letter to the Lt Governor wherein he has stated that the idea to drop the ongoing plan for opening of Medical college and in lieu to establish PG Medical Courses in GB Pant hospital has brought the islanders in the state of shock, despair and anguish. He further stated that it is on the direction of the Honble High Court, an Expert Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs for the purpose of studying and assessing the feasibility of setting up of medical & engineering college in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Consequently, the decision to establish a medical & engineering college was taken in the 11th IDA meeting held on 15.06.2007 under the Chairmanship of the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.Subsequent to this, it is for the good of the Islanders that with the initiative taken by the administration and with approval of the UPA government the Engineering College has started functioning in these Islands since 2009 and by now has produced two batches of graduate engineers. In October 2013, keeping in view, the national scarcity of health care personnel, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India instituted a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to establish 55 Medical Colleges in the country by upgrading district and equivalent Hospitals to add 10,000 under graduate Medical Seats per year and Medical College for Andaman & Nicobar Islands forming a part of this scheme by now would have come a long way in term of fulfilling various moralities laid down by the Medical Council of India. The declaration of functioning of the Medical College from the academic session of 2015 has given rise to the aspiration of the Islanders both the students and the common public at large. Kuldeep has added that the relative cost analysis of having a Medical College and PG Medical Courses as been projected in the local media should not be a matter of concern for the administration as opening of Medical College is the dire need of the Islanders as it will serve the multiple purpose by producing qualified trained personals in health sector, generate employment and will also boost medical tourism. A&N Islands have always received special attention of the Central Government and scarcity of fund has never been a cause to worry for the Islanders, be it for infrastructural development or restoration of destruction caused by the natural disaster like Tsunami. In the recent past the islanders have witnessed loosing the opportunity of having a NIIT at Andamans and the same was grabbed by Puducherry, if such kind of controversies is again floated the same may happen in case the Medical College for which in principal the approval of the Govt of India exists. The Congress Party has always advocated for inclusive growth of Islanders in all sphere of life, be it opening of central University under education sector, health care delivery system, shipping or air connectivity etc. Land being the constraint and with lots of environmental restrictions impossed on the islands due to its fragile echo system, development of educational institutions of repute will boost economy of the island beside benefiting the local students. Hence Kuldeep appeals to all members of general public, political parties, associations,NGOs, student community to support establishment of MBBS college.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 04:39:29 +0000