CPI protests PPP model for new medical colleges, calls it ‘dangerous’

The Communist Part of India (CPI) has strongly denounced the decision of the Chandrababu Naidu government to run 10 new government colleges under the Private Public Partnership (PPP) model, calling it a ‘dangerous move.’

Participating in a protest organised by the CPI at Jagadamba junction in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, CPI National Council Member J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy demanded immediate revocation of the decision. He said that the decision was against social justice and detrimental to the interests of poor and middle class students. Additionally, it was a violation of the basic tenets of the Constitution. The move would also affect the interests of poor patients, dependent on the teaching hospitals attached to those medical colleges. The education policies of the government would deprive students of employment opportunities in future.

Mr. Murthy recalled that the previous YSRCP government had announced 17 new government medical colleges, and there was hope that the number of seats in government medical colleges would go up. However, the previous government had brought G.O. 107 and 108 and said that the seats would be filled through ‘self-finance’ mode. The Left parties had then opposed that move. The TDP and JSP, which were then in the Opposition, had criticised the YSRCP government for planning to charge ₹12 lakh under ‘management quota’. Now, after coming to power, the Alliance government, instead of withdrawing G.O. 107 and 108, it is trying to hand over the medical colleges to private groups in the name of PPP.

Mr. Murthy further added that the PPP policy would result in the government lands, college buildings, and hospitals going into the hands of the private investors for about 60 years. Though the government was saying that a total of 1,000 medical college seats would be available, and 76% of them would be available to the poor, the remaining seats could be sold for prices ranging between ₹50 and ₹60 lakh, depriving the poor to that extent. He demanded withdrawal of G.O. 107 and 108, and continuation of the new medical colleges totally in the government sector.

CPI district secretary Sk. Rahaman, assistant secretaries K. Satyanarayana and P. Chandrasekhar, executive council members M. Pydiraju, K. Satyanjaneya and M. Manmadha Rao were among those who participated in the protest.

Later, a memorandum was submitted against privatisation of the medical colleges, to the DRO at the Collectorate.