Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 14: During the Legislative Assembly session, Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna urged the health minister to release the pending funds for the timely completion of the new Udupi District Hospital and to ensure quality healthcare services for the public.

Construction of the new district hospital began in December 2021 and is now in its final stages. However, work has been delayed due to design modifications and the inclusion of additional facilities not covered in the original plan.

Administrative approval was granted for Rs 115 crore, while the tender amount stood at Rs 110.24 crore. As per Central Government directives, GST of about Rs 20.42 crore and price escalation costs of around Rs 18.44 crore were not included in the original estimates. In addition, approximately Rs 9.50 crore is required for other essential works to make the hospital fully operational. In total, an additional Rs 48.36 crore is needed. The revised proposal seeking approval for this increased amount has been pending with the government for some time.

The MLA also stressed the need to sanction posts for medical and non-medical staff at the new hospital, with a detailed proposal already submitted to the department. He noted that the demand for additional medical equipment worth Rs 30 crore has also been placed before the department, but approval is still awaited.

Highlighting another concern, Suvarna pointed out that for several days, patients have been deprived of Ayushman Bharat scheme benefits due to persistent server issues in the Health Department. He urged immediate action to resolve the problem.

Responding to the MLA’s concerns, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao assured that the cabinet would soon approve and release the required funds for the hospital project, prioritise the sanctioning of additional medical staff, and take prompt steps to address the Ayushman Bharat server issue.