Shillong, March 23: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday said talks are on for setting up of the Shillong Medical College on a public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

“Talks are on and I hope that within this year itself, we will see a positive result,” Sangma told reporters after presenting the budget in the Assembly.

He said this was after the government had cancelled the MoU signed with the earlier partners for setting up the Shillong medical college after nothing move even after 10 years have lapsed.

“After that cancellation was done, we have explored different options, speaking to different partners and different private hospitals to come work with us…there were one or two people who had approached and advanced discussion took place and they asked for certain land to be given to them free of cost based on which they would build up the hospital and medical college and give a certain amount of seats to the state government. That kind of a model is being pursued,” he said.

“Even now we are in touch with them and I hope that with the new government and new minister that are there, we will pursue this aspect once again,” Sangma added.

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The chief minister further informed that the government has already identified a land of 50 acres in the new city area where the medical college would be set up.

When asked, Sangma said, “From the government point of view, running a college is something that is very challenging and therefore, we strongly feel that having a PPP mode is most probably the most idealistic way and proper way to go ahead as we need to not just set it up but we have run it smoothly and efficiently.”

Earlier in his budget speech, the chief minister said his government is committed to establishing medical colleges in the state.

He informed that the physical progress of the Tura medical college is about 40% and said, “We are taking steps to fast track its construction.”

“The proposal for setting up a medical college in Shillong in PPP mode is being actively considered and we expect to initiate this project in 2023-24,” he further assured.