Chief minister Virbhadra Singh's request to the union government has finally borne fruits with the approval for inclusion of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
Singh, who is in Delhi on Saturday, said under the scheme Rs 150 crore would be provided for upgrade of IGMC, Shimla.
He thanked UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for including IGMC under PMSSY.
"The demand had been pending with the Centre for the past two months and its acceptance will help improve medical and other amenities at IGMC," he said.
Singh said with this approval, the state government would start the second campus of the IGMC at Gharog village near Shimla. He said more than 5,000 patients, attendants and other visitors daily visit IGMC, which was overcrowded and shifting out some wings would help in decongestion.