Minister for Textiles, Sugarcane Development, and Sugar and district in-charge for Haveri, Shivanand Patil, made an exciting announcement on Saturday regarding the first-year MBBS course. The classes are set to commence at the newly constructed Haveri Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) and Hospital building starting from September. This significant development was unveiled during Mr. Patil’s visit to HIMS in Haveri, where he also assessed the project’s progress.
Expressing his satisfaction with the ongoing work, Mr. Patil emphasized the importance of completing the college and hospital project within the stipulated deadline. He declared that the new building would be ready to accommodate students from September onwards.
To ensure timely completion, the Health Department’s engineers were given explicit instructions to finish Block A and B of HIMS by August-September. As a reassurance, they have promised to hand over the classrooms required for the first-year MBBS students by the end of August.
As for the second-year MBBS students, their classes will continue to be conducted at the Government Engineering College, maintaining a seamless transition during the construction phase.
The development plan includes the construction of eight classrooms to accommodate both first and second-year students, in addition to a well-equipped laboratory. The authorities are targeting completion by December, with a grand inauguration ceremony to mark the occasion.
In a significant revelation, Mr. Patil highlighted that an alarming amount of over ₹150 crore had been spent on constructing four medical colleges in the State without proper government approval. This issue, along with the ongoing inquiry into the Haveri medical college building, is being closely monitored. The Chief Minister has been requested to allow the construction of HIMS to proceed, and necessary funds will be allocated to support the project.
In a separate matter, the Minister expressed his displeasure over the poor quality of work observed at the district hospital. He directed the concerned officials to ensure that the quality is improved promptly. Taking action against the absent contractor, he instructed the Deputy Commissioner to issue a notice to him for accountability.
During his visit, Mr. Patil was accompanied by MLAs Basavaraj Shivannavar and U.B. Banakar, along with senior officials from the district administration.