Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)
Udupi, March 2: As the State Budget approaches, leaders and members of the public in Udupi district have intensified their demand for the establishment of a Government Medical College, calling it a long-pending and essential requirement for the district.
Psychiatrist P V Bhandary has strongly underlined the urgent need for a Government Medical College in Udupi.
Speaking to Daijiworld.com, he said the demand has been pending for several years and deserves immediate attention from the State Government.
“A major long-standing demand of the district is the establishment of a government medical college. Nearly 42 acres of land near Uppoor had been earmarked for this purpose years ago. The chief minister has announced medical colleges for several other districts in Karnataka. Udupi is also an important part of the state and deserves a government medical college. All the required facilities are available. The government should take a positive decision in this regard,” he stated.
P V Bhandary also raised concerns over the delay in the reconstruction of the Udupi District Hospital. He pointed out that the construction work, which began nearly four years ago, has come to a standstill due to lack of funds.
He urged the government to allocate additional financial support in the forthcoming budget to ensure the project is completed without further delay. “The people of Udupi urgently need improved healthcare facilities. The hospital work must be completed at the earliest,” he added, expressing hope that supplementary grants would be announced in the budget.
Echoing similar sentiments, Kishan Hegde Kolkebail, working president of Udupi District Congress, said that if immediate sanction for a medical college is not feasible, the government should at least make a budgetary provision this year as a first step.
“The healthcare and developmental needs of Udupi district must be prioritised in the State Budget. A medical college will not only enhance medical facilities but also create educational and employment opportunities,” he said.
Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, president of Udupi District Congress, also reiterated the demand, highlighting that a government medical college would provide greater access to medical education for students from economically weaker backgrounds.
Ganesh Raj Saralabettu, social worker, also strongly reiterated the demand for a Government Medical College in Udupi district, stating that it is an essential requirement for the region. “Udupi must have a medical college,” he said, urging the State government to prioritise the proposal in the forthcoming budget.
Adding to the chorus of voices, Riyaz Kadambu, state secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), said that the establishment of a government medical college has been a major demand of the people for many years. “Although a site was identified earlier in the district, the college has not been constructed. If a government medical college is established, it will be convenient for poor and middle-class students to pursue medical education. At present, poor and talented students who score well in the NEET exam are compelled to go to other districts for medical education. Therefore, necessary funds should be released in this year’s budget to establish a government medical college in Udupi district,” he said.
With the State Budget around the corner, the people of Udupi are now keenly awaiting the government’s response, hoping that their long-standing demand for improved healthcare infrastructure will finally receive concrete attention.