Hans News Service Amaravati

YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of attempting to hand over government medical colleges to private players under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, alleging that the move amounted to a massive scam involving public assets.

In a post on X, Jagan said his government had established 17 new medical colleges, of which five were opened and another three were made ready to commence classes.

The remaining nine could have been completed by investing Rs 1,000 crore annually, he said, questioning the need for privatisation.

Alleging irregularities in the proposed PPP arrangement, Jagan claimed that government land worth hundreds of crores was being leased for just Rs 100 per acre, while Rs 1,630 crore in public funds would be provided as Viability Gap Funding (VGF).

He also alleged that the government would bear staff salaries for two years, involving an expenditure of around Rs 120 crore per college.

He maintained that colleges were designed as teaching hospitals offering free multispecialty treatment, with half medical seats under convenor quota and remaining seats at fees substantially lower than private institutions.

They would also be linked to area hospitals, CHCs, PHCs and village clinics to strengthen healthcare delivery. Jagan further accused Naidu government of weakening public healthcare system by delaying Aarogyasri payments, allowing medicine shortages, increasing doctor vacancies, stopping Nadu-Nedu hospital works and neglecting village clinics and 108 and 104 ambulance services.

Claiming that one crore people had signed his party’s petition opposing the privatisation, he demanded that the government withdraw its decision.

Jagan warned that if YSRCP returned to power, it would initiate legal action against those involved in the deal and would not hesitate to make arrests.

He said his party would continue its campaign against the privatisation of government medical colleges.