Health Minister Slams Jagan For Misleading People On Medical Colleges

VIJAYAWADA: Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav accused former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of misleading people on setting up of new government colleges in the state. In a strong reaction to Jagan Mohan Reddy’s statement opposing privatisation of new medical colleges in the state, Satya Kumar castigated the former CM for demanding that the NDA government spend ₹7,000 crore in two years when he had spent just ₹1,450 crore on the 17 new government medical colleges in four years. The minister asked the former chief minister as to why the latter fixed an annual fee of ₹20 lakh under the self-finance scheme in 17 government medical colleges. He wondered whether such a hefty fee would help the poor pursue medical education in the state. Satya Kumar questioned Jagan Mohan Reddy about the National Medical Commission giving permission for only 50 seats at the government medical college at Paderu in 2023–24 while it allowed 150 seats each for five other new medical colleges. The minister asked Jagan Mohan Reddy why the latter spent 84 per cent of the estimated cost in setting up a government medical college at Pulivendula, while only spending 10 per cent of the estimated cost on other medical colleges. Satya Kumar blamed the former CM for keeping payment of ₹2,500 crore to private hospitals under the Arogyasri scheme pending.