The Union Health Ministry has prepared a proposal to set up 100 new medical colleges by upgrading district hospitals in the next five years (by 2027) under the fourth phase of a plan. Its objective is to promote the availability of human resources in the health sector. 

 

Official sources said that under the Centre's plan, district or referral hospitals would be upgraded to medical colleges. The estimated cost of upgrading per college will be Rs 325 crore. In this, the center will have 60 percent and the state will have 40 percent. 

The funding pattern between the Center and the State for the North Eastern and Special Category States is in the ratio of 90:10. Sources further said that the Department of Expenditure has approved the proposal of the Health Ministry. A cabinet note has been drafted in this regard. 

In the last three phases, 15 medical colleges were approved. Of these, 93 are operational, while others are under construction. These proposed 100 medical colleges should be established in those hundred districts which have a population of more than 10 lakhs and where there are no private or government medical colleges. 

According to official sources, the proposal for setting up 100 medical colleges by upgrading the district hospital in the fourth phase of the scheme has been approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), after which a cabinet note has been prepared.