Shocked to know from JICA that AIIMS construction can begin only at 2024-end, says Health Minister
The Hindu
The Minister, who was on an official visit to Japan this week, said the delegation had asked officials of JICA, which is funding the project, to expedite the release of funds
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said on Saturday that it was shocking to learn from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that the construction of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Madurai, will begin by the end of 2024 and will be completed in 2028.
The Minister, who was on an official visit to Japan this week, said the delegation had asked officials of JICA, which is funding the project, to expedite the release of funds.
“They told us that a tender was floated to finalize an agency, which will arrive at a plan of the building on 222 acres at Thoppur, Madurai. If this agency, which will be finalized in April 2023, takes up the work on the preparation of a project estimate, a building plan, and then float tenders, we asked JICA officials when the work would begin. Their reply was shocking. They said the work can commence by the end of 2024 and get over in 2028,” he told reporters.
He recalled that the Prime Minister had laid the foundation for AIIMS, Madurai, on January 27, 2019. It was planned at a cost of ₹1,264 crore with 750 beds, with the project period being 45 months.
Mr. Subramanian, while reacting to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s remarks on AIIMS, Madurai, in Parliament, said the excuse that there were delays on the part of the former AIADMK government in handing over the land was not acceptable.
“The then AIADMK government first gave 199.88 acres on ‘enter upon permission’ and later 22.49 acres based on further requirement. In total, nearly 222 acres was given…There are no issues due to land as being projected but there are only funding issues,” he said.
He said this is the real status of AIIMS, Madurai. The Minister’s statement comes shortly after a heated debate in Parliament between the Union Health Minister and DMK MPs.
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