TDP-led government privatising medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP leader V Rajini

Amaravati, May 29 (PTI) YSRCP leader and former health minister V Rajani on Thursday said the TDP-led NDA government was "privatising" medical colleges and termed it an "institutional betrayal".

Rajini noted that during COVID-19 pandemic, former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had initiated the construction of 17 medical colleges at a cost of Rs 8,500 crore with world class facilities akin to modern corporate hospitals for free healthcare and education.

Though 17 medical colleges were announced, Rajini said that only five were completed while colleges envisaged under phase II at Paderu, Pulivendula, Markapuram, Adoni, and Madanapalle were stalled.

"Each medical college, built at a cost of Rs 500 crore on 50 acres of prime land valued at over Rs 2 crore per acre, is being leased at Rs 100 per acre annually, totalling Rs 5,000 per college," said Rajani addressing a press conference.

She said these colleges were designed for local access to advance healthcare.

Rajani alleged that public assets worth over Rs 8,000 crore are being handed over to private players for about Rs 5,000 annually, undermining decades of public healthcare investment.

She said the government allegedly used audit firm KPMG’s "biased report" to justify the "transfer of institutions" to corporate control, which could deprive medical education for the underprivileged sections and free super-specialty healthcare.

Rajani accused the coalition government of dismantling several health schemes launched by the erstwhile YSRCP government which offered access to free healthcare and essential support.

She alleged welfare, farming, and industrial systems are in crisis, while "false promises" like iconic towers at Amaravati will only benefit a few and ignore public needs.

There was no immediate reaction from the ruling TDP on Rajani's allegations. PTI MS STH SKY SKY