Edu-leaders

Maharashtra will soon have four new medical colleges with a total intake of 400 students. The new medical colleges will come up in Mumbai, Raigad, Satara and Nandurbar districts, each with a capacity of 100 students.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said, "The estimated expenditure for the four medical colleges will be nearly Rs.1,598 crore for which the budgetary allocations would be made in five years, starting from the current year (2011-2012) and later as per requirements."

Despite a huge growth in population and the growing requirements for health care facilities and manpower, this is the first time in around a decade that the Maharashtra government has initiated a move to set up state-owned medical colleges.

Presently, there are 20 medical colleges spread across the state, including around 10 in the private sector, run mostly through trusts owned by politicians.