Work on track for new medical colleges in Asom

Guwahati, Mar 2 (UNI) The first phase of work of the three new medical colleges in Asom will be completed by 2008, with Rs 90 crore earmarked for it under Plan head in 2007-08.

This was informed in the state Assembly by Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to separate questions.

First phase work for the three new medical colleges at Barpeta, Tezpur and Jorhat would be completed by 2008, he informed.

Three architectural firms have been allotted the task of designing the colleges.

On monetary sanction for the new medical colleges, Rs 15 crore had been sanctioned in 2005-06 and 2006-07, each college getting an equal share of Rs 5 crore.

The minister further informed that application had been submitted to the Centre for appointment of principals of the colleges.

He said Srimanta Sankardeva University of Health Services Bill, 2007, would be placed in the Assembly during this session. The institute would be situated near the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

On the number of vacant teaching posts in the three existing medical colleges in the state, Mr Sarma informed that 227 teaching posts were vacant.

Of these, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, had the highest vacancies with 86 posts. GMCH had 78 posts lying vacant, while the Silchar Medical College had 63 vacancies.

UNI