Jammu: Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo today said that SKIMS Soura is an important health institution established under the visionary leadership of Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah to provide advanced medical care facilities to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister stated this while replying to a question raised by Legislator Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah in the Legislative Assembly today.
The Health Minister highlighted that the government is committed to restoring the autonomous status of SKIMS while reviving its pristine glory.
She added that after the present government took over in October 2024, high-end medical equipments like LINAC, Cath Labs and other facilities have been installed in various health facilities across J&K for better treatment of patients. “There is no compromise on patient care,” she maintained.
The Health Minister highlighted that SKIMS Soura was established in the year 1976, and post re-organisation of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir, certain administrative arrangements relating to the composition of the Governing Body have undergone change. She added that SKIMS continues to award degrees in accordance with the provisions of the SKIMS (Grant of Degrees) Act, 1983.
The Minister further said that as per the applicable Transaction of Business Rules, the subject of SKIMS continues to be assigned to the Health & Medical Education Department. The funding structure of SKIMS remains unchanged and the budgetary allocations continue to be made under the Health Budget as was the position earlier, she added.
Health Minister elaborated that SKIMS Soura had an independent Engineering Wing before re-organization. Post-reorganization, these wings were merged as part of a broader administrative restructuring.
She added that the Engineering Wing of SKIMS now stands subsumed with the Public Works (R&B) Division Soura, located within the SKIMS premises. She said that the developmental and maintenance works of SKIMS are presently being executed through this Division.
The Minister also said that all ongoing and pending works of SKIMS were duly taken over by the executing agency and have been carried forward in a time-bound manner. She added that most of the works have been completed both physically and financially and the remaining are at an advanced stage of completion.
Legislators Tanvir Sadiq, Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi), Mir Saifullah, Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani and Saif-u-din Bhat raised supplementary questions.