Vijayawada: Agriculture minister K Atchannaidu on Monday said the coalition government’s proposed Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model would usher in a revolutionary transformation in medical education and healthcare delivery in the state, with a clear focus on the poor and middle-class students.

In a statement on Monday, the minister said medical colleges that earlier took nearly 20 years to complete would now be constructed within just two years under the PPP framework. He said the total number of medical seats in the state would rise sharply from the existing 500 to around 1,700–2,000. Of these, 850 seats would be specially reserved for students from poor and middle-class backgrounds. In addition, 220 more seats would be added, including an increase of 110 seats under the government quota.

He was reacting dharnas conducted by YSRCP across the state against the alleged privatisation of medical colleges Monday.

Atchannaidu said hospitals developed under the PPP model would be equipped with international-standard infrastructure, high-quality staff and super-specialty doctors. He added that the coalition government was committed to implementing a Universal Health Policy that would ensure free, corporate-level healthcare services for the public.

Launching a sharp attack on the YSRCP, the minister alleged that the previous government had pushed the state back by two decades and had failed to deliver on medical education and healthcare. He said only 18 per cent of medical college construction was completed during the YSRCP’s five-year rule. He further claimed that the Rs 1,550 crore spent during this period came entirely from Central funds and that the state government did not contribute even a single rupee.

He alleged that several medical colleges inaugurated by former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy were later treated as school-level institutions by the National Medical Council, leading to a reduction in seats. The minister also criticised the YSRCP for its handling of the Covid-19 crisis, alleging that basic facilities were unavailable in government hospitals when people needed them the most.

Atchannaidu said the coalition government aims to complete medical colleges within two years, expand hospital capacity up to 1,500 beds and substantially increase medical seats through the PPP model.

He dismissed the YSRCP’s “crore signatures” campaign as a political gimmick, calling it an attempt to mislead the public.

He urged people to recognise what he termed as “political theatrics” and support the coalition government’s efforts to deliver tangible benefits, particularly for the poor and middle class.