Medical Colleges: PPP Model to Provide Quality Healthcare, Education For Poor: Minister Ravindra

VIJAYAWADA: Mines and excise minister Kollu Ravindra on Sunday launched a scathing attack on YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of “destroying every sector” during his five-year tenure.

“Now, Reddy is attempting to portray himself as a moral crusader,” he told the media at the Telugu Desam central office in Mangalagiri.

The minister said it was “laughable” that YSRC leaders, who had allegedly “victimised weaker sections,” were now preaching ethics.

Ravindra alleged that the YSRC government discriminated against premier institutions like AIIMS Mangalagiri by denying adequate water supply, despite the institution serving thousands of poor patients. “Our government resolved the issue by laying a pipeline from the Krishna river.”

Defending the alliance government’s proposed public-private partnership model for medical colleges, the minister said the policy aimed to provide quality healthcare and education for poor students.

He said the YSRC government had approved convener, management and NRI quotas in medical colleges through various GOs, but was now criticising the same framework, for “political reasons.”

Ravindra stated that the government planned to complete 10 medical colleges within two years under the PPP model, creating 1,750 additional seats. He also cited the recent recruitment drives, including the filling of 16,800 teacher posts and thousands of vacancies in Group-1, Group-2 and police departments.