SHILLONG:
Minister in-charge Health and Family Welfare James Sangma informed the House that 33 per cent of construction of Tura Medical College has been completed.
He said the work has been progressing slowly for various reasons, especially due to the pandemic.
“The project was proposed to be completed in January, 2021, now the new deadline is February 2023,” Sangma said during the question hour on Thursday.
The minister told the House that the amount sanctioned by the Centre for Tura Medical College is Rs 172 crore out of the total project cost of Rs 243.82 crore.
He also informed that so far, Rs 41 crore has been released out of the total amount of the project cost.
Sangma also informed that the Commissioner and Secretary Health department is monitoring the status of the construction of the medical college.
Meanwhile, Gambegre legislator Saleng A Sangma has alleged that the site has been made a safe haven by militant outfits.
“Few months back, I got a report that around 70 unknown militant outfits were there,” Saleng said while raising a supplementary query.
Saleng asked if the government has any intelligence inputs on this as the project is being left unmonitored.
The minister said that no such report has been brought to his notice.
He, however, assured that the Home (Police) department will be asked to look into the matter.
On the status of the Shillong Medical College, he informed that the earlier memorandum of understanding was cancelled and the department is now floating a new RFP (Request For Proposal).
Sangma also said that a new site, which is encumbrance-free with an area of 50 acres, for the Shillong Medical College has been identified at the New Shillong Township.