Shimla: A restive Virbhadra cabinet, fresh from having suffered a rout in the recent polls, met here earlier today and approved to set up a medical college in Hamirpur with majority funding from the union government.
A cabinet spokesman said that it would be a 100 MBBS seats per year intake college and the cost of establishing the institute is Rs 189 crore.
Proposed to be set up under a Government of India scheme for new colleges, the cost for setting up the medical college would be shared on a 90:10 basis by the center and state governments, the spokesman stated.
The state has already signed an Memorandum of Understanding with the central government for setting up three medical colleges in Himachal, the other two are proposed to be set up in Chamba and Nahan.
Presided over by chief minister Virbhadra Singh the cabinet also approved installating of water ATMs at various places in the state on a build, operate, manage and maintain basis.
The sites approved were at Mata Chintpurani in Una, Chammunda Mata Mandir, Kangra Mandir, Dharamshala (near Rainbow School Dari) in Kangra, Vikasnagar, Ridge, ISBT Tutikandi & local Bus Stand and at IGMC in Shimla.
At the meeting, the cabinet reposed faith in the leadership of Virbhadra Singh and resolved to stand firm by AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice—president Rahul Gandhi.
The cabinet accepted the verdict of the people with humility said the spokesman.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
