Mangaluru: In a significant move, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced in his 16th state budget that Dakshina Kannada’s first government medical college will be established not in Mangaluru, but in the taluk headquarters of Puttur. The decision has garnered widespread appreciation from across the political spectrum and local communities.
The new institution will be set up by upgrading the existing 100-bed taluk hospital, with work commencing this year. This achievement is largely credited to the relentless efforts of local MLA Ashok Rai, strong bipartisan public support, and persistent lobbying over the past 18 months.
While former minister UT Khader had earlier pushed for a medical college attached to Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru, the plan lost momentum after his government’s tenure ended. In contrast, Ashok Rai expressed pride in securing a medical college for a taluk town, calling it a historic moment for Puttur. “We’ve worked hard, attended all pre-budget sessions, and now the real work of upgrading the hospital to 350 beds begins,” he said. He expects the college to be functional within three years, with most infrastructure—except hostels—ready by then.
The campus will be located on a 40-acre site in Sediyapu, Bannur, with land availability posing no issue. The demand dates back to 2021, initiated by then-MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor. Public momentum increased through a signature campaign in January 2023, which eventually led to the scrapping of an earlier plan to allocate the land for a seafood park.