Shimla: The Centre has approved 320 additional postgraduate medical seats across six govt medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh, backed by a grant of around Rs 415 crore, Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said on Saturday.The approval is part of a Rs 15,000-crore central scheme to add 10,000 medical seats across the country over five years, he said.Of the additional seats, Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, will get 91, Hamirpur 57, Nerchowk in Mandi 55, Dr Rajendra Prasad Govt Medical College, Tanda, 57, Nahan 32 and Chamba 28.Nadda said the state govt submitted its proposal on June 23. Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu later discussed the matter with Nadda during the Oct 6 convocation at AIIMS Bilaspur, said the Union minister.The additional seats are expected to strengthen specialist services in surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology, paediatrics and oncology.Nadda urged the state govt to complete administrative and regulatory formalities promptly to operationalise the seats. He also called for expediting pending critical care blocks and public health laboratories.
