Vijayawada:The Andhra Pradesh government would develop 17 government medical colleges under public-private-partnership mode but retain the management rights with it, health minister Satya Kumar Yadav has said.Replying to questions in the legislative council here on Wednesday, he said, “As the average financial progress for all the 17 government colleges was recorded at 15 per cent, the government had taken such a decision.”He said the government had appointed a transaction adviser who would do a study on each college vis-a-vis the completion of infrastructure, land value and other details. Based on this, the government would provide the viability gap fund.The minister said the Centre has also responded positively to the state’s plea for financial assistance to complete the incomplete works so that these colleges can become functional. While switching over to PPP mode, the government would hold the management rights, he said and ruled out any hike in fees in these colleges.He emphasised that the government was not intending to privatise the colleges.Agriculture minister K. Atchannaidu intervened in the discussion when there was a heated debate on the subject — with the members from the PDF opposing the PPP mode and saying they wanted such colleges to be under government control.He said if the colleges were brought under PPP mode, it would help in developing the infrastructure and in the recruitment of quality faculty members. He ruled out any hike in fees and claimed that the move would be more beneficial to the poor students seeking to become doctors.Leader of the opposition Botsa Satyanarayana said the people would decide in future about the government plan to adopt the PPP mode in medical education.Earlier, the health minister faulted the previous government for its “failure” with regard to strengthening the infrastructure, recruitment of faculty members, installation of medical equipment and other requisites even for the five colleges that were started in 2023-24.However, the minister praised the YSRC government’s decision to start 17 new government medical colleges and the launch of some of these. “However, that government failed to develop them due to lack of funds. Hence, we decided to develop these colleges under PPP mode,” he said.
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