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Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda has called upon the Government of Andhra Pradesh to extensively adopt the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to accelerate the expansion of healthcare infrastructure and improve the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of medical services across the State, said the release.
In a letter addressed to Andhra Pradesh Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Satya Kumar Yadav, the Union Health Minister highlighted that PPP projects have emerged as a well-established and proven mechanism for attracting private investment, leveraging expertise, and enhancing service delivery in infrastructure sectors across the country. Emphasising the growing need to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, Union Minister JP Nadda noted that the PPP model can play a transformative role in upgrading district hospitals, establishing new medical colleges, expanding diagnostic and dialysis services, and introducing advanced technology-driven solutions in public healthcare facilities, especially in underserved and aspirational regions. The Union Health Minister announced that the Government of India is providing substantial financial support to States for health-sector PPP projects through the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme. Under this framework, funding support can go up to 80 per cent of the project cost, along with up to 50 per cent assistance towards operational expenditure for the first five years. The VGF support is to be shared equally by the Central and State governments. In addition, Union Minister JP Nadda highlighted the India Infrastructure Project Development Fund (IIPDF) Scheme, which provides financial assistance of up to Rs 5 crore per project for project development activities, including feasibility studies and technical advisory services, to help States structure bankable, sustainable PPP projects. To ensure effective planning, coordination, and implementation of PPP initiatives, the Union Health Minister advised the State Government to establish a dedicated PPP Cell within the Health Department that would work closely with the PPP Cell in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Union Minister JP Nadda expressed confidence that proactive engagement by the state leadership and the strategic adoption of the PPP model would deliver significant improvements in healthcare infrastructure, service delivery, and patient outcomes in Andhra Pradesh, while ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services for all sections of society. The letter has brought much-needed clarity to the PPP model and is being viewed as an endorsement of CM Naidu's proposed model to build medical colleges in the state. (ANI)
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