Government8217;s first shot at Health Inc

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said the estimated cost of the project was Rs 15 crore, and it was expected to be completed in one-and-a-half years. The police hospital has about 2,675 sq meters of land and a hospital building.

All the assets of the existing set-up are to be leased out to the ILFS for 30 years.

The government had earlier sought to lease out GT Hospital. But although the necessary tenders were floated, there were no takers. This time round, the governmentinvited the financial institutions and offered them the prime location for a nominal rent of Rs 1.

Though the exact size of the hospital is yet to be decided, Joshi said 35 per cent of the beds and other services will be reserved for the police department. These services will be made available to the police at the rates presently applicable in government-run hospitals.

According to government sources, the modernised hospital will be a top of the line health care centre with sophisticated equipment and upmarket facilities.

The ILFS will charge rates on par with private hospitals on 70 per cent of its services, and cross-subsidise the remaining 30 per cent reserved for the police.

At the end of the lease period of 30 years, the hospital, fixed and movable assets included, will be handed over to the state government, the chief minister said.