Morung Express News
Dimapur | December 4
The Government of Nagaland has been requested to expedite the construction works of the medical colleges in the State, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) informed the the Lok Sabha on December 3.
Under a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely, ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’ administered by the Ministry, two medical colleges have been approved for construction in Nagaland – one in Kohima and the other in Mon.
Data provided by the Minister of State, MoHFW, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar in a written reply to a query related to progress of construction of medical colleges further informed the Union has already released most of its share of funds for both projects.
For instance, for the Rs 189 crore Kohima Medical College project approved during Phase I of the scheme, the Central share (90%) of Rs 170.10 has already been released.
For the medical college in Mon with an estimated cost of Rs 325 crore approved in Phase II, out of Central share of Rs 292.50 crore, an amount of Rs 242.50 crore has been released, informed the data provided by the MoHFW in the reply.
However, in reply to a query posed by Nagaland’s lone Member of Parliament Tokheho Yepthomi on the “time by which the Kohima Medical College is going to be made functional in the State of Nagaland,” the Ministry did not provide a timeline.
Instead, it indicated that the progress of the construction as well as functionality of those colleges is dependent on the State Government.
“As per the Scheme guidelines, the State Government is the implementing agency and the planning, execution and commissioning of the projects is to be done by the State Government,” pointed out Dr Pawar in the reply.
“State Government has been requested to expedite the construction works of the medical colleges,” the MoS added.
No crude oil production in Nagaland
Meanwhile, in another query by Yepthomi, the Union Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas informed that there was no crude oil production from Nagaland during the last five years.
Accordingly, the MoS, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas Rameshwar Teli further informed that “no royalty has been paid to Nagaland State during last five years.”
