TN govt asks Centre for additional 800 seats for medical colleges

We have sought additional 800 seats so that about 1,650 students can benefit, the Minister said. We have sought adequate doses of COVAXIN from the Centre to administer the second dose to the beneficiaries, the Minister said.

Chennai, Oct 27 (PTI): Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday asked the Centre to sanction additional 800 seats for admitting students to the 11 medical colleges in the State, said Health Minister Ma Subramanian.

The Central government had already approved an intake of 850 students. "We have sought additional 800 seats so that about 1,650 students can benefit," the Minister said. Speaking to reporters in the national capital after participating in a review meeting on national COVID-19 vaccination by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya with the State Health Ministers, Subramanian said he had submitted a memorandum highlighting 11 demands of the Tamil Nadu government to the Union Minister.

"Apart from urging the government to expedite the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) project in Madurai, we have sought an AIIMS for Coimbatore," the Minister said.

As to the meeting of Health Ministers, he said it has been planned to provide the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to the targeted population by November-end and schedule the second dose. ''We have sought adequate doses of COVAXIN from the Centre to administer the second dose to the beneficiaries,'' the Minister said.

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