N govt getting sanction for 8 medical colleges a 'historic

: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Monday termed as a 'historic achievement', the state receiving the Union government's sanction for setting up nine medical medical colleges.

After inaugurating a new block at RKB Multi-Speciality Hospital at neighbouring Tiruvallur, Purohit said the union Government had already sanctioned setting up of six government medical colleges in the state.

"The Nilgiris, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Dindigul, Namakkal, Tiruppur will get these colleges. In addition, the union government has sanctioned three more medical colleges in Krishnagiri, Tiruvallur and Nagapattinam", he said.

The Governor said getting sanction to set up nine government medical colleges in a year is a 'historic achievement' by the Tamil Nadu government.

For setting up all these nine medical colleges, the Centre would contribute Rs 1,755 crore and the state, Rs 1,170 crore, he said.

Noting that Tamil Nadu has always been an important centre for medical science, he said it was the first state to enact the Public Health Act in India.

"The state has an impressive record in reducing infant and maternal mortality rate. It ranks first in terms of number of children immunised", Purohit said.

He said it was a matter of immense pride that most cutting edge medical procedures being performed anywhere in the world were now being done at government hospitals in Tamil Nadu.

"Tamil Nadu is the main Hub for Medical tourism in the eastern part of the world", he said.