Telangana finds itself overlooked as Centre plans to establish new MCs

The Central government since 2014 has granted approval for the establishment of 157 medical colleges across the country, with Telangana being excluded from this list. This trend persisted even when, in her budget speech in February 2023, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman disclosed plans for the creation of 157 nursing colleges, to be co-located with existing medical colleges established earlier. Once again, Telangana found itself overlooked.

In her budget speech on Thursday, the Finance Minister articulated the government’s intention to establish additional medical colleges by leveraging the infrastructure of existing hospitals under various departments. Scepticism looms among State experts, pondering whether Telangana will be included in this allocation.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for establishing new medical colleges. These are typically attached to existing district or referral hospitals, with a preference for underserved areas and aspirational districts. However, despite three aspirational districts — Asifabad, Bhupalpally, and Bhadradri Kothagudem — in Telangana, the State has not received any sanctioned medical colleges under this scheme, said convenor of Scientific Committee of IMA Telangana Kiran Madala.

A health official revealed that Telangana presently has 26 medical colleges across its 26 districts, with plans for the inauguration of eight additional medical colleges in the other eight districts this year.

The Central government since 2014 has granted approval for the establishment of 157 medical colleges across the country, with Telangana being excluded from this list. This trend persisted even when, in her budget speech in February 2023, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman disclosed plans for the creation of 157 nursing colleges, to be co-located with existing medical colleges established earlier. Once again, Telangana found itself overlooked.

In her budget speech on Thursday, the Finance Minister articulated the government’s intention to establish additional medical colleges by leveraging the infrastructure of existing hospitals under various departments. Scepticism looms among State experts, pondering whether Telangana will be included in this allocation. The Hindu