Chandigarh, March 5: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Thursday announced a major expansion of Punjab’s medical education sector, with seven new medical colleges set to be established across the state. The move is part of the state government’s commitment to transforming healthcare infrastructure and increasing the availability of MBBS seats for local students.
The Minister stated that the construction of the Shaheed Udham Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences in Hoshiarpur is scheduled to commence on March 20. The project, which has received administrative approval for ₹274.75 Crore, is expected to be completed within 24 months.
“Establishment of these institutes will increase MBBS seats by 600, ensuring Punjab students don’t need to go to other countries for medical education,” Dr Balbir Singh declared.
The expansion plan includes two government-run colleges in Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala, two under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode in Sangrur and SBS Nagar, and three through private and minority organisations in Lehragaga, Malerkotla, and near Ludhiana. Dr Balbir Singh noted that the government successfully reduced the Hoshiarpur project cost from an initial estimate of ₹550 Crore to ₹274 Crore, saving nearly ₹250 Crore in public funds.
“The upcoming Hoshiarpur facility will include a five-story hospital building and a three-story medical college building equipped with modern laboratories,” the Minister affirmed.
Currently, Punjab has 1,900 MBBS seats across 13 colleges. The Minister asserted that the addition of 600 seats would prevent students from having to seek degrees in countries like Ukraine or China. He added that existing premier institutes in Patiala, Amritsar, and Faridkot are also being upgraded to provide super-specialty services.
