Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah displays Budget documents, in Bengaluru, Friday, March 7, 2025.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mangaluru: The long pending demand for a government medical college in Puttur has been realised with the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announcing the same in the budget. To facilitate the medical college, the budget has announced to upgrade the present 100-bedded Taluk hospital during the year.
A government medical college should have been built in Dakshina Kannada's Puttur a long time ago, informed RTI Activist Sanjeeva Kabaka who along with other activists had launched a signature campaign demanding a medical college for Puttur a few years ago.
“We thank our MLA, activists like Dinesh Bhat, Sandeep Panathadka, Ramachandra, members of SDPI among others for bringing an 11-year-old dream to reality. We welcome the government and all those involved in getting a government medical college sanctioned to Puttur. This college will stop youth from migrating to cities in order to pursue medical education. The 100-bedded hospital in Puttur should be upgraded to serve patients and victims of endosulfan poisoning in surrounding Kadaba and Sullia taluks,” he told DH.
Muneer Katipalla from Sarakari Aspathre Ulisi Horata Samithi said, "After a one-and-a-half-decade-long struggle, the government has finally responded positively. The budget announcement is a moment of joy for all. We express our gratitude to the government and extend congratulations to all those who fought for this cause. Now, we urge the government to implement this decision without delay. There is already land reserved in Bannur for the medical college, and we firmly insist that the institution be a fully government-run medical college, not established under the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model. Land has already been reserved for a medical college at Bannur in Puttur."
"Four years ago, a protest was staged in front of all MLAs offices in Dakshina Kannada demanding medical college. When the government attempted to transfer the reserved land in Bannur for a seafood park, we fought against the decision and successfully ensured that the land remained for the medical college," he added.
About 40 acre land has been earmarked for the medical college in Puttur, several years ago.