Punjab takes a u-turn on central varsity status for Panjab University

The Punjab government has backtracked on its decision to grant a central university status to Panjab University, Chandigarh, keeping in view the "misgivings in the minds of the intelligentsia". Letters from Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in this regard were sent to the Centre on Monday.

 

Badal, who was in Patiala on Monday, said the government sent the letters after reviewing its earlier decision of supporting PU's cause. "I have written to the Prime Minister and Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh not to grant central university status to PU."

 

On August 26, the Punjab government had sent a communiqué to the Centre with regard to its go-ahead to the matter.

 

PU gets majority of funds from the Punjab government and it was felt that once it got the central status, the state would lose its control over the prestigious university.

 

Vice-Chancellor R C Sobti had sought the government's help in getting a central status for the university. PU staff had earlier been sitting on a hunger strike in support of the demand.

 

Badal said Punjab had sought to set up a central university at Bathinda and a world-class university at Amritsar. He was in Patiala to lay the foundation stone of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's Guru Granth Sahib World University.

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Mohali News - Fortis plans Rs 3,000 cr investment in Punjab in next 10 yrs

Hospital chain Fortis Healthcare plans to invest Rs 3,000 crore in Punjab in the next 10 years for augmenting and expanding medical services in the state.

 

Fortis has submitted a proposal 'Fortis Strategic Health Plan' to the state government to upgrade healthcare services in the state through PPP model, offering to invest Rs 3,000 crore over the next 10 years.

 

"In order to make Punjab a role model for other states, particularly in the field of medical facilities, we have submitted an exhaustive plan to improve the healthcare facilities in the state through public-private-partnership (PPP) model," Fortis Healthcare CEO and MD Shivinder Singh told PTI.

 

The plan includes revamping Baba Farid University and Guru Gobind Singh Medical College at an estimated expenditure of Rs 800 crore.

 

Also, the company proposes to set up a medical research centre 'Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences' in Mohali with an investment of Rs 340 crore.

 

Fortis is also planning to set up two medical education hubs in the state, one at Mohali and other one at Ludhiana, with a total investment of Rs 1,500 crore.

 

Under the proposal, Fortis also suggested setting up five nursing colleges in state, one cancer institute and research centre at Mohali, one civil hospital each in Bhatinda, Badal and Hoshiarpur.

 

The healthcare chain has asked for certain concessions from the state, which includes providing land at notional prices for project development in case of greenfield ventures wherein the entire capital expenditure will be borne by the Fortis Group.

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