Deputy Chief Minister and Medical and Health Minister Dr T Rajaiah today claimed that they could retain 200 seats for the Telangana State.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Saturday, Rajaiah said he has sanctioned Rs 200 cr for renovation of Osmania General Hospital and a decision will be taken by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao as the heritage structure should not be disturbed, he said. Accusing the Seemandhra leaders of conspiring to loot medical seats of Telangana as the latter were inactive to fight against the injustice, he said retaining “our” seats was the first victory of Telangana people. “We have received an MCI (Medical Council of India) letter today giving 200 seats back to Telangana State”, he said, adding there will be no fees hike for medical courses this year. Of these, 100 seats will be filled in Nizamabad, 50 in Kakatiya Medical College and the remaining 50 will be filled in Gandhi Medical College.
At the directive of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, the officials put in persistent efforts at Delhi and got them back, he said, adding that otherwise the Seemandhra leaders would have taken them away. He also accused former chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy of conspiring to give 200 seats of Telangana to Seemandhra. While Singareni Collieries Management was ready to allocate Rs 200 crore for a medical college to be set up either in Karimnagar or in Khammam, a plan is on to set up a medical college at Warangal with Rs 150 cr funds from PM Swasth Scheme he said allocating Rs 100 cr to complete Nizamabad Medical College works nearing completion and a similar amount has already been spent.
As per MCI directives measures initiated to set right defects in various medical colleges to have full equipment and facilities, he said adding that they will provide total medicare to people as per our manifesto by implementing “Our Health Our Plan” from rural level to districts. The Minister maintained that there are 2950 medical seats which include 850 in Government, 1700 seats in 12 private colleges, 400 seats in minority colleges. To keep our promise of providing corporate medicare to poor we are preparing separate plans at village, mandal, town and constitutency levels to make available modern equipment and facilities at PHCs, community health centers. The Government will strengthen Arogya Sri scheme by adding a few more diseases to existing 938 diseases and provide total medicare to poor, women, children at rural level and prevent them from rush to towns and cities. A revolving fund of Rs 113 cr can be used by collectors at districts and the Arogya Sri Trust has Rs 53 cr with it, he said. (NSS)
