Agartala, Oct 9: The Tripura government has initiated the planning process for setting up a medical college at Jolaibari in South Tripura district, with financial assistance proposed under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), Minority Welfare Minister Shukla Charan Noatia said.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Manik Saha was held to discuss the project's modalities, planning and implementation roadmap, Noatia said in a social media post.
The proposed medical college will come up in the 38-Jolaibari Assembly constituency, which is represented by Noatia. The state government's Department of Minorities Welfare has been designated as the nodal department to oversee the project's implementation, he said.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from various departments, including the Health Department secretary, the special secretary-cum-director of the Minorities Welfare Department, the South Tripura district magistrate and collector, the chief engineer of the Public Works Department (Buildings) and the chief medical officer of South Tripura.
Officials discussed the key aspects of the proposed institution and the administrative arrangements required for taking the project forward, the minister said.
However, the government has not yet disclosed the estimated project cost, proposed bed capacity, number of medical seats or the timeline for construction and commissioning of the institution.
The proposed medical college is expected to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and expand access to medical education in the southern part of the state. The project could also improve the availability of medical facilities in the region, although details of the proposed services and infrastructure are yet to be announced.
The PMJVK scheme, implemented by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, has been identified as the proposed source of financial assistance for the project. The state government's Minorities Welfare Department will coordinate the implementation and monitoring process, according to Noatia.
The minister expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Saha and the Central government for their support towards the proposed institution.
Further details regarding formal approval, the allocation of funds, project design and the implementation schedule were not immediately available.
The initiative comes as the state government explores ways to strengthen public healthcare infrastructure and expand educational opportunities in different parts of Tripura.
