Red tape hampers expansion of Doon Medical College

Dehradun, October 23
The Department of Medical Education still has to contend with the big brotherly attitude of the Department of Medical, Health and Family Welfare in financial matters. This has slowed down the work on Doon Medical College.

The issue pertains to the release of Rs 40 crore allocated to the Department of Medical, Health and Family Welfare by the BJP government in the state for the construction and expansion of Doon Medical College. The amount was deposited in the Public Ledger Account (PLA) on March, 2012.

Now, as the state government plans to start the academic session of the medical college from next year, the work has to be carried out for the first inspection by the Medical Council of India (MCI) slated for January, 2014.

The Department of Medical Education has to get ready two lecture halls, a library and improve the existing Doon Hospital by way of expansion of the existing departments in advance for the inspection. But it does not have funds to start the work.

Worse still, the utilization of additional Rs 40 crore allocated by the state government for the medical college hinges on the release of the earlier allocated Rs 40 crore from the PLA account.

“Though the state government has allocated additional Rs 40 crore for Doon Hospital, it can only be used after submitting the utilization certificate for earlier allocated Rs 40 crore, which is now lying in the PLA account of the Department of Medical, Health and Family Welfare,” said Ravi Nath Raman, Additional Secretary, Medical Education.

Officials in the Department of Finance said the funds for Doon Medical College were allocated to the Department of Medical, Health and Family Welfare, as the Department of Medical Education had not taken shape by then.

“The funds should have been transferred to the Department of Medical Education soon after it came into existence. But the Department of Medical, Health and Family Welfare overlooked the matter,” said a senior official.