Madurai: The Central Government has planned to co-sponsor the cost of establishing the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Madurai, with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), wherein, JICA will bear 85 percent of the cost, while 15 percent of the total cost would be contributed by the Central Government, revealed a Right To Information (RTI) response.
The reply has been made against an RTI filed by a social worker R Pandiaraja on 03.01.2021 and 11.01.2021. The RTI has also revealed that the previously proposed cost of the project had been Rs 1264 crores. However, Pandiaraja obtained another RTI reply on 31.12.2020 clarifying that the project cost had been increased to Rs 2000 crores.
The latest RTI reply obtained on February 2, 2021, showed that the increased cost has been as per the estimates prepared by JICA.

Another key point that the recent RTI reply revealed has been regarding the status of the institution. Ministry of Health & Welfare in the RTI reply has mentioned that "M/s HITES has been appointed as the Executing Agency for pre-investment activities at the site for AIIMS Madurai." It further added that the Pre-Investment activities at the site are in progress. The Ministry is in process of seeking a loan from JICA for setting up of AIIMS at Madurai.

However, the RTI reply could provide any information regarding the layout plan of Madurai AIIMS.
team had earlier reported that Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for Madurai AIIMS hospital in January 2019 at a cost of Rs 1264 crore. Subsequently, it was reported that the preliminary work was underway.
Read also: Health Ministry Releases Gazette On AIIMS Madurai Establishment
As per the latest media report by The Hindu, the Madurai MP S. Venkatesan had met the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Joint Secretary (AIIMS) Nilambuj Sharan in January. He had further added that the government proposed to build a communicable diseases hospital at AIIMS and it had led to an increase in the estimated budget from Rs 1264 crores to Rs 2000 crores.
Further, the MP had clarified that as per the communication made between the officials a loan-agreement for sanctioning of the funds would be signed by March-end.
MP S. Venkatesan has shared the updates regarding AIIMS, Madurai on his Twitter handle as well. The tweet contains the RTI details and a letter by Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Varhdhan.
In the letter dated 27.01.2021, Minister Harsh Vardhan has replied to an earlier letter by the MP Venkatesan requesting to expedite the execution of works at AIIMS, Madurai so as to start admissions to the institute from the coming academic year. In reply, the Union Minister has assured that he would look at the matter at the soonest.
Also Read:AIIMS Madurai budget hiked to Rs 2000 crore for constructing infectious diseases hospital