Karnataka govt to establish more medical colleges under PPP model, says Education Minister

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 29 : Karnataka needs more medical colleges to meet the demand for doctors and the government is willing to establish more medical colleges in Public-Private partnership (PPP), said Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday.
Sudhakar was speaking to the media after Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa inaugurated new building of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Research centre at Shivajinagar on Tuesday.
"Establishing a medical college requires Rs 600-700 crores. If it is built-in PPP model, it reduces the burden on state exchequer and also helps to provide affordable medical education and treatment to needy. This model is being adopted in Gujarat and the same will be implemented here as well," Sudhakar said according to an official release of the state government.
The Minister said that there is a necessity to increase the number of medical colleges in order to produce more number of doctors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government has added over 157 medical colleges in last six years and the central government has a vision to set up 22 AIIMS across the country, one in each state, he said.
"We are committed to bring one AIIMS in our state too. The process of obtaining permission is already in progress and soon there will be an AIIMS functional in the state," he added.
The newly built Atal Bihari Institute of Medical Sciences contains facilities for 150 students to study MBBS, the release said.