The sword of Damocles continues to hang over the 40 seats of Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). The reason:
Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) is finding it difficult to execute the upgradation project as per the new memorandum of understanding (MoU) sent by Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD). The patients too will continue to suffer inadequate facilities and lack of space.
A NIT Trustee, preferring anonymity, said that as per the earlier agreement NIT was to be given 6% of the project cost which came to Rs 30 crore. However, MEDD has decided to provide a fixed amount only Rs 4 crore to NIT for executing the project. This is just 0.8% of the project cost — Rs 500 crore. On the other hand in any JNNURM project the project management consultant (PMC) gets 5% of the project cost while agency preparing the detailed project report (DPR) gets 3%.
“Apparently the NCP leaders want to scuttle the project. Otherwise why would they impose such conditions,” the Trustee alleged.
Since last 12 years Medical Council of India (MCI) has been granting provisional recognition to 40 out of 100 MBBS seats of IGGMCH. Every time MCI reduces the intake capacity to 60 and then state government persuades the Council to withdraw its directive promising to upgrade the infrastructure.
This time due to strict attitude of MCI state government sanctioned Rs 10 crore for upgrading Mayo’s infrastructure on temporary basis. The work is being executed by public works department (PWD). However, as a long term solution NIT has been asked to get the college and hospital rebuilt.