JIPMER declared institution of national importance

New Delhi, Apr 29 (UNI) Work on setting up AIIMS-like institutes will begin in 1-2 months, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss assured the Lok Sabha today as Parliament passed a Bill to declare Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry as an institution of national importance.

''Work on establishing AIIMS-like institute has already started in Rajasthan and will begin in three months in Bhubaneswar.... In Bhopal, Patna and two other places, it will begin in 1-2 months,'' Dr Ramadoss said, while replying to the debate on the JIPMER Bill.

The Bill was later passed by voice vote. With the Rajya Sabha already clearing it, the Bill got parliamentary approval today.

Dr Ramadoss said the Government would also quicken the pace of upgrading 13 existing medical colleges to AIIMS standard.

On JIPMER, he said the concerns of employees and students, and the issue of reservation had been looked into.

He said the issue of medical ethics, as suggested by a member, would also be taken up.

EDS: Here pick up suitably from earlier series.

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