A central team which was scheduled to inspect the proposed site for construction of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Kashmir in December last year hasn’t finalized its date of visit yet, hitting the project take-off. Incidentally, the fate of two new medical colleges announced for Kashmir two years before is hanging in balance.
In December last year, top officials from the Union Health Ministry inspected two sites proposed for construction of AIIMS in Jammu region, but are yet to carry out the site inspections in Kashmir Valley.
The inspection team is yet to convey the new dates of inspection to authorities in Jammu and Kashmir. “The proposed sites for establishment of AIIMS in Kashmir are yet to be inspected,” a source said.
An official in J&K’s Health and Medical Education department said the state health authorities have ‘no clue’ on when the team will conduct the inspection.
“They have not communicated a date yet. The Jammu site for AIIMS has been finalised at Vijaypur in Samba district,” said a senior official.
AIIMS is not the only central project whose execution is being delayed by the Centre.
Announced with fanfare by then Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the establishment of five new Medical Colleges announced for J&K is also stuck up in files.
As per officials of Government Medical College Srinagar, all formalities have been completed for the Medical Colleges.
“We have completed the DPRs and sent these to the central authorities. The land has also been identified and transferred at the respective locations,” said Dr Kaiser Ahmed, Principal of GMC Srinagar.
However, there has been no clarity on release of funds, he said.
