Vijayapura: The agitation by members of various organizations against the state govt’s move to establish a medical college in the city on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model has entered 103rd day on Monday and has intensified the day-night dharna which has entered the 16th day.Citizen participating in the protest are braving the biting winter cold.The citizen are opposed to the establishment of a college on PPP model, and they want it to be solely run by the govt. The agitators have set a deadline of Jan 9 for the govt to come out with a cabinet approval for the establishment of the medical college by the govt.District minister MB Patil has now accepted people’s demand and has assured that he would meet and convince the chief minister and others to establish the college to be run by the govt.Bijapur City MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had earlier stated that he was for the PPP model. Political analysts said Yatnal wanted to tag the Jnanayogi Siddeshwar Swamiji Trust with the medical college. But now that the people are opposed to PPP model, Yatnal has clarified that he would establish a separate medical college and will not link JSS to the proposed govt medical college.Sugar minister Shivanand Patil who is from the district has opposed PPP model right from the beginning. There have been allegations and counter allegations by various political factions against each other for favouring or opposing the PPP model. But the citizen maintained that the city should not lose the medical college in the political slug fest.Vijayapura already has two private medical college—BLDE Medical College and Al-Ameen Medical College. There has been a demand for a govt medical colleges for decades, to enable meritorious students of economically weaker families.Those opposing the PPP model point out that it will help the private sector to make profits, and is not in anyway useful to the people of the region.Senior journalist Gopal Naik said establishing a medical college through PPP means reducing the financial burden on the govt and allowing private companies to profit.Readymade facilitiesVijayapura has all the requisite facilities and infrastructure and the govt can establish a medical college without incurring additional expenditure. There is a well-equipped 1,000-bed District Hospital which caters to 1,500 in and out patients every day. It has MRI, CT Scan and nature cure facilities and trauma hospital. There is a vast 150 acres of govt open land just behind the District Hospital and there is no need to invest on land. How PPP WorksIn this model, the govt provides the necessary land for the medical college. A private institution must construct the college building. The govt provides the District Hospital to a private institution for clinical facilities for that college. The hospital must be managed by a private institution. The district hospital staff receives salary allowance from the Health and Family Welfare Department but must work under a private institution. The private institution must pay the salary allowance of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the college.
