The Forum for Development of North Andhra (FDNA) has appealed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to ensure completion of construction of the building for the medical college at Makavarapalem in Anakapalli district, which was stopped midway after his government took over the reins of power, a year ago.

In a letter to the Chief Minister on Tuesday, June 8, FDNA general secretary A. Aja Sarma noted that the medical college building construction was started during the tenure of the YSRCP government and had progressed well with the completion of three slabs. The work was stopped after the coalition government came to power, and the construction material was being transferred to Amaravati. This came to the notice of the FDNA team during a recent visit to the medical college site at Makavarapalem.

He noted that education, especially higher education, would play a great role in the development of a region. He wondered as to the reason for the present government stopping the work on construction of the medical college building. It would also render the construction work already completed as wasteful expenditure. Due to the shortage of medical education facilities in A.P., students from the State were pursuing medical education in other countries like China, Ukraine and Africa. Against this backdrop, the construction of medical colleges was a progressive decision, and to stall it is a retrograde step.

The completion of the medical college construction would provide not only medical education opportunities to students from North Andhra but also promote employment in the region. It would also provide better healthcare facilities to the tribal people of the Agency areas of ASR district. Mr. Sarma added that if people have to believe the oft-repeated statements of Chief Minister that the coalition government is giving top priority to the development of North Andhra, the stalled construction work should be restarted and completed without any further delay.