Govt Medical College in Puttur: Rising Hopes as State Budget Decision Looms

Govt Medical College in Puttur: Rising Hopes as State Budget Decision Looms

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 16, 2025: The decade-long struggle to establish a government medical college in Dakshina Kannada district, specifically in Puttur, has reached a decisive phase. Speculation is rife over whether the Puttur Government Medical College will be announced in this year’s state budget. MLA Ashok Rai has stated that he is making every possible effort to realize this long-pending dream.

The existence of eight medical colleges in Dakshina Kannada has raised doubts about whether another college can be approved. The government’s policy to prioritize districts without any medical colleges poses a significant challenge to Puttur’s aspirations.

Dakshina Kannada, known as a hub for education and healthcare, lacks a government medical college, with all existing institutions being privately owned. The Government Medical College Action Committee has been consistently advocating for the establishment of a government medical college in the district. Supporting this demand, 40 acres of land in Puttur have been reserved exclusively for the college, which is considered a significant advantage.

Last year, MLA Ashok Rai pushed for the announcement of the medical college in the budget, but when it did not materialize, he intensified efforts for its inclusion in the 2025 budget. He has held multiple meetings with the Chief Minister, including a recent private discussion during the CM’s visit to Mangaluru. The CM’s response of “Let’s see” is being viewed as a sign of progress. Now, all eyes, including those of the MLA, are on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s upcoming budget.

What’s the Proposal?
Puttur currently has a 100-bed government taluk hospital, with plans for upgrading it to a 300-bed facility. If approved, the hospital will be constructed on the designated land in Sediyapu, making it a cornerstone for the medical college. Securing the 300-bed hospital would mark significant progress toward establishing the college.

It has been proposed that the government allocate ₹200 crore annually over four years from the funds of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences to develop a fully equipped government medical college in Puttur. This has been brought to the government’s attention as a viable financial plan.