Cabinet shows green flag to building of two new AIIMS in Tamil Nadu and Telangana

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18: To transform the healthcare education and training landscape in the states of Telangana and Tamil Nadu, Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the establishment of two new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the region. The two AIIMS are to be built in the city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu and Bibinagar in Telangana with a budget of Rs 1,264 crores and Rs 1,028 crore, respectively under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).

For each of the AIIMS, the cabinet has approved the creation of a Directorial position with a basic pay of 2,25,000/- (fixed) plus NPA (however pay + NPA would not exceed Rs 2,37,500/-).

AIIMS Madurai and Bibinagar were announced in February 2015 and April 2018 respectively. As per the sources, AIIMS Bibinagar will be fully operational from the next academic year. AIIMS, New Delhi, in its notification for AIIMS MBBS 2019 has specified that AIIMS Telangana will take admission in the academic year 2019.

Added advantages

The project aims to add 100 UG seats for MBBS and 60 B.Sc seats for Nursing, in each AIIMS. 15 to 20 super speciality departments will be added along with approximately 750 beds. Each AIIMS is likely to cater to around 1,500 outdoor patients and 1,000 indoor patients per day, suggests the data of current functional AIIMS. The additional benefit of this projects comes in the form of a Medical College, AYUSH block, Auditorium, Night Shelter, Guest House, Hostels and residential facilities that are being set up.

Under National Health Mission (NHM), the AIIMS is likely to fulfil the dual objective of providing affordable super speciality health care to the population and creation of a large pool of doctors and other health workers that can be made available for primary and secondary level institutions/facilities being rendered.

Employment Boon

Through this project, each AIIMS is likely to generate employment for 3,000 people in various faculty and non-faculty posts. It will also lead to the creation of indirect employment in the area with additional facilities and services like shopping centres, canteens, etc. with the establishment of new AIIMS.

Broadly following the AIIMS, New Delhi and other six new AIIMS taken up under Phase-I of PMSSY, this new project aims to create Hospital, Teaching Block for medical & nursing courses, residential complex and allied facilities/services.

Like six other new AIIMS, the two new AIIMS are going to generate capital assets for which specialized manpower required for maintenance and upkeep will be created. Apart from this, the construction of physical infrastructure is also expected to create a significant amount of employment opportunities.

Cost and Expenditure

All the cost on these Institutions will be borne by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare through Grant-in-Aid to them from Plan Budget Head of PMSSY. The central sector healthcare scheme aims to fill the lacunae in the availability of pocket-friendly tertiary healthcare facilities across the length and breadth of the country. It also targets to extend facilities of quality medical education.

The proposed institutions are expected to be fully built and completed in 45 months which includes a pre-construction phase of 10 months, a construction phase of 32 months and stabilization/ commissioning phase of 3 months. All the operation and maintenance costs are also being met through the central government budget.