Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has not provided the the figures on the amount spent for the purchase of modern equipment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College with assistance of the Central Government. The state government has also not released the figures on the expenditure of funds as sanctioned by the Union Ministry of AYUSH for growing medicinal plants.
At the same time, RTI documents show that the modernization of three government medical colleges in the state, which is directly overseen by the central government, is progressing rapidly.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana Scheme, the Centre had sanctioned funds for the purchase of modern equipment in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Kozhikode Medical Colleges that was included in the 2016-17 scheme. About 4.17 crore was disbursed to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College alone.
However, despite repeated requests from the Central government, the state government has not yet released the figures.
In addition, the Centre provided 20 lakh to the State Program Management Unit of the state government under the AYUSH Public Health Initiative. The Health Department has not yet submitted a report on the expenditure or utilization certificate to the Center.
K Govindan Namboothiri, a Kochi – based RTI activist, was responding to a RTI query by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Meanwhile, the renovation work of three medical colleges in the state, which are directly overseen by the central government, is progressing rapidly. Out of this, Rs 100 crore as provided by the Centre, the renovation of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has been completed.
The renovation of Kozhikode Medical College is 82 per cent complete with a joint outlay of Rs 120 crore from the Center and Rs 53.18 crore from the state. According to the records, the renovation of Alappuzha Medical College has been completed by 80 per cent.
