Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday held a meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda at New Delhi and raised the issue of setting up of AIIMS in Bilaspur district.
The Chief Minister said the State Government had identified 1200 bighas of land out of which 750 bighas of non forest land had been transferred for the institute. The documentation of forest clearance of remaining 450 bighas of land was under consideration of the Union Government. He urged for early intervention of the Centre so that further action could be taken up for opening of this institute at the earliest.
Virbhadra Singh apprised that State had signed a MoU to take over the medical college building at Ner Chowk in Mandi district and the academic session would be started from next year for which there was requirement of equipment and other facilities. He said the State Government had to pay Rs285 crore to ESI over a period of five years beginning from 2019 in lieu of this college building. He said the State Government was committed to provide quality health services to the people of the State but due to limited resources, the State would require Central assistance for making it a premier institute.
Discussing about opening of three new medical colleges at Nahan, Hamirpur and Chamba, the Chief Minister said all formalities had been completed to start classes in Dr YS Parmar Medical College, Nahan from September, 2016 besides appointing teaching faculty and other staff. He said the work was under progress for construction of medical college buildings at Hamirpur and Chamba. He urged for early forest clearances from the Union Government for construction of new medical college building at Hamirpur.
Chief Secretary VC Pharka apprised about the progress of the State Government for establishment of super specialty ward in IGMC, Shimla to be constructed at a cost of Rs150 crore and National Disease Centre at Boileuganj in Shimla. He said the State Government was making all-out efforts to complete both the projects in a stipulated time period and the proposals had already been sent to Government of India for forest clearance.
Nadda assured the Chief Minister that Union Health Ministry would consider all these issues on priority and high level authorities of the Ministry had already been directed to take effective steps in this regard.