Srinagar, Jul 22 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council, which met under the chairmanship of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, on Friday accorded administrative approval to the establishment of new Government Medical College (GMC) at Udhampur.

"The project will be completed in 2024-25," an official statement said.

Earlier, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, under its centrally sponsored scheme, had sanctioned establishment of two new government medical colleges at Kupwara and Udhampur, each for Rs 325 crore.

"The upcoming medical college at Udhampur will improve the doctor patient-ratio in Jammu and Kashmir as the intake capacity of MBBS students will increase by 100 seats. This will cater the ever increasing patient load, and bring improvement in the medical services at secondary level of treatment in the region.

"Availability of quality medical services at the district headquarter will also reduce the response time for medical emergencies/traumas, minimise inconvenience, decrease IMR/MMR, and increase the life expectancy," the statement added.