PPP medical colleges: YSRCP’s signature campaign a drama for Jagan’s political survival, says Health Minister

Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav on Tuesday accused YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of resorting to a “drama of signature campaign” over PPP model of developing medical colleges for his political survival.

At a press conference, Mr. Satya Kumar alleged that due to lack of genuine public support, the YSRCP leaders were resorting to fabricating signatures.

He said the TDP-led coalition government had decided to operate 10 medical colleges under PPP model in public interest, ensuring students’ welfare. “But Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy is trying to portray it as privatisation and his party leaders are inflating the number of signatures by resorting to fabrication to claim public support.”

Mr. Satya Kumar argued that PPP was a tool for wealth creation and transformative development. The Parliamentary Committee, chaired by an MP from the Samajwadi Party, had endorsed PPP in medical college management. NITI Aayog, the National Medical Commission (NMC), and the High Court had found no issues with PPP implementation, the Minister said.

Stating that the YSRCP MPs misrepresented PPP as privatisation due to their own lack of understanding, the Minister welcomed the party’s decision to approach the court on the issue.

Pointing to the fact that PPP model was being implemented even in critical defense projects, he wondered why it should not be used in the health sector. “National Highways and Hyderabad’s Shamshabad airport were developed under PPP models decades ago,” he reminded.

The Minister asserted that the coalition government had studied the matter before deciding to run 10 medical colleges under PPP, while retaining the ownership rights. He said the Delhi government had also proposed running 11 medical colleges under PPP, and currently 10 States successfully implemented PPP in education and infrastructure sectors.