Thursday, July 6 2006 10:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranchi: Jharkhand will open more medical institutes and increase the number of seats in existing facilities to fill the lacuna of doctors in the state as well as accommodate the central government's proposed quota policy, says Chief Minister Arjun Munda.

"We will increase the number of seats in medical institutions and open more institutes in the state," said Munda, pointing out that the state needed more than 4,000 doctors and this was the only to 'adjust the numbers'.

"The other factors that have been considered are the implementation of reservations in higher studies. The recent decision of the central government to increase seats in higher educational institutions is being seriously considered," Munda told sources in an interview.

He said his government would 'do justice to every section of society by increasing the number of seats'.

The new medical colleges will be opened through public-private participation and officials have already been asked to prepare a blueprint for the purpose.

"Our main motive is to take medical facilities to the last person in the state. We are going to invite private parties to open medical colleges and hospitals in remote areas so that medical facilities can be taken to the poor and downtrodden," he said.

Jharkhand now has three medical institutions in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad. At present, 3,350 doctors are employed in different hospitals and the state needs 4,000 more.