Himachal Pradesh locating land for AIIMS-like institution, says state health minister Kaul Singh Thakur

Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday said that its proposal to the Centre to convert a government medical college in Kangra district into AIIMS has been turned down by the Union government, which has asked the state to find suitable 200 acres of land for the purpose.

In June, the newly-formed NDA government had written to 11 states to find a land on which AIIMS-like hospitals could be constructed, state health minister Kaul Singh Thakur told state Assembly in Dharamshala. The letter by the Union Health ministry also stated that the states should respond to it within a month. The state government told the Centre that it was unable to provide the land for AIIMS, and desired to hand over Tanda Medical college in Kangra for the purpose.

The Centre, however, disagreed to convert an already working medical college into AIIMS. The minister said,"Since our proposal has been rejected, the project has been omitted for this year." Thakur's reply came to a question raised by BJP MLA Gulab Singh Thakur during the Question Hour.

The minister further said that 12 Deputy Commissioners of the state have been asked to search 200 acres of land in their respective districts, which is fit for setting up of AIIMS. "The most suitable land will be transferred to the Centre," the minister told the Assembly.