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Gopireddy Srinivasa Reddy, former MLA and YSRCP leader, stated on Saturday that the party would strongly oppose the privatization of medical colleges, as it negatively impacts the prospects of poor students who rely heavily on government institutions.
Speaking to the media, he criticized Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of consistently favouring corporate interests throughout his career. Reddy alleged that Naidu is handing over newly established medical colleges to private entities under the PPP model and vowed to challenge the move at all levels and through all possible avenues. YSRCP leader Gopireddy Srinivasa Reddy highlighted the stark contrast between the efforts of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and former CM Chandrababu Naidu regarding medical education. He praised Jagan Mohan Reddy for securing 17 new medical colleges, with five already operational, and criticized Naidu for failing to establish even one government medical college during his tenure. "While YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has got sanction for 17 new medical colleges and five of them took shape during his term, Chandrababu Naidu has the credit of not bringing in even a single medical college throughout his nearly 15 years term as Chief Minister. All the medical colleges during his term were given to private parties and his henchmen. If medical colleges come up in the government sector it will benefit the poor students who cannot afford the expensive fees structure of private colleges. This was the drive of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to get the sanction of medical colleges as it would also help in strengthening the rural areas and the PHCs by filling up the vacancies would provide better medicare...," he said. He further alleged that "By privatising the medical colleges, the state is losing over 2,400 medical seats which will have a telling effect on the poor students who want to pursue their medical education. Students are going to neighbouring states and even very small countries like the Philippines to study medicine and here we have a Chief Minister who is rejecting the seats in government colleges." "To build the infrastructure it takes only two per cent of the budget allocation and what is needed is the will of the government which is lacking as the coalition partners are backing out from their election promises. We will take up the issue at all levels and explore legal options to stall the privatisation move," he added. (ANI)
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