The Hindu : Karnataka News : ‘Pariyaram cooperative’s liability Rs. 310 crore’

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Sunday, Jan 06, 2008
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Karnataka

‘Pariyaram cooperative’s liability Rs. 310 crore’

Staff Reporter

Sudhakaran to rearrange interest rate to bring down the sum

PARIYARAM: Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran has said that financial liability of the Kerala State Cooperative Hospital Complex and Centre for Advanced Medical Sciences, which runs the Academy of Medical Sciences (Pariyaram medical college), has risen to Rs. 310 crore over the past seven years.

At a press conference after assuming charge as chairman of the academy here on Saturday, Mr. Sudhakaran said this included interest of Rs. 144 crore. He would take the initiative to rearrange the interest rate to reduce the liability. The previous Cooperation Minister, M.V. Raghavan, who had been chairman of the complex and centre, had done nothing to reduce the interest. Mr. Raghavan had been nominated chairman of the governing body of the academy, registered under the societies’ registration Act, in his capacity as Cooperation Minister. It was largely a post having symbolic value, but Mr. Raghavan had sought to make it a private property by nominating the former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran and himself chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, in their personal capacities. But the academy’s bylaw originally envisaged the Chief Minister or the Cooperation Minister as chairman.

The Minister said that governing bodies of the society and the academy would chalk out various schemes for future development of the medical college and hospital started with government support. Over the last seven years, when Mr. Raghavan headed the institution, the liability had increased to Rs. 310 crore. Its total asset was estimated at Rs. 145 crore. He alleged lack of proper procedure in recruiting staff and transparency in accounting in the institution during the period.

To a question if the academy would be retained in its present set-up as an independent and private institution, the Minister said the Cabinet decision to bring the medical college under the Cooperative Academy of Professional Education could not be implemented, thanks to litigation.

Mr. Sudhakaran called for government grants to offset the gap between expenditure and revenue in professional colleges in the cooperative sectors. There should be a fair fee structure in professional colleges.

He said the medical college management was considering proposals for offering more concessions in treatment cost in the college.

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