Date:27/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/27/stories/2005042717360400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Panel to inspect nursing institutions

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: The monitoring committee to inspect new medical colleges has been entrusted with additional task of carrying out its job on 62 nursing schools and 51 nursing colleges which have recently been issued essentiality certificates by the State Government.

The committee headed by Justice Bhaskara Rao was constituted to strictly ensure that the norms prescribed by the Medical Council of India were followed. It will now have to see whether the Nursing Council of India norms were adhered to in the case of nursing institutions.

The committee will also inspect the existing nursing schools and colleges. The instructions in this regard were given to officials of medical and health by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, during a review meeting on Monday.

Dr. Reddy ordered an inquiry by a senior IAS officer into irregularities in payment of tuition fee for private para medical institutions by the Social Welfare Department. He expressed dismay at the institutions making a claim for payment of dues from the Government to an extent of Rs. 131.98 crores towards tuition fee from 2002-03 to 2004-05. The Government has already paid to them Rs. 49.55 crore.

The meeting decided to upgrade the existing nine Government nursing schools to colleges from the next academic year.