JIMPER Bill 2008 will favour Puducherry: PMK leader

Puducherry, May 31 (UNI) The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) Parliamentary party leader M Ramadoss today said several clauses in the JIPMER Bill 2008, which had become an Act with the President giving an assent on May 14 as published in the Gazette on May 19, would favour Puducherry.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the Union Territory would continue to get its quota of 20 seats for MBBS admission and free treatment would also be provided.

Moreover, employees at the JIPMER were given an option to continue as a central staff or become an employee in the present set up.

He, however, pointed out that there was no mention of autonomy in the Act and JIPMER was made as an institution of national importance, which would help it to fetch an additional Rs 300 crore in the budget.

Prof Ramadoss also said the local AIR station would commence its FM broadcasting from June 13, which would cover a 70 km area.

He further claimed that 81 per cent of the promises in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) had been implemented by the Centre and the party's desire was to implement the Women's Reservation Bill before the next Parliamentary elections.

The matter had been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, which would visit Tamil Nadu on June 23.

The Centre was approached for a financial assistance of Rs 20 crore for a PG Centre at Podicherry University in the Karaikal Region. A team from Union Human Resources Development Ministry had carried out an inspection, and it was expected that a sum of Rs 14 to 15 crore would be made available, he said.

Prof Ramadoss added that Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss would send a team from the Medical Council of India (MCI) to go into the setting up of the Government Medical College here, the construction of which is in progress.

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