The Centre has allocated Rs 491.7 crores for the centrally-administered JIPMER in Karaikal region towards infrastructure development.

A release from JIPMER said the Union Health Ministry had approved the proposal of the Standing Finance Committee of the premier medical colleges and earmarked the amount to enable JIPMER to construct the academic wing, residential campus and also hostels for students pursuing the medical course in Karaikal.

The Puducherry government has allotted two sites for the purpose free of cost, it said. A 41.47 acre site had been placed at the disposal of the institute in Kovilpatthu near Karaikal and another one measuring 38.14 acre has been earmarked for the college on Kamaraj Salai in Karaikal.

"The sites would be of help for the college to construct academic and residential complexes," the release said adding that the building owned by PWD Puducherry at Arasalar was also handed over to the institute. Besies, JIPMER would spend Rs 30 crores to improve patient management facilities in the government hospital, the release added.

Once the new and palatial campuses are ready, the Karaikal branch of JIPMER would be able to increase the seats in first year MBBS course to 100 from the present 50 seats.

The institute has been functioning in an improvised building with 50 students in first MBBS and the Karaikal branch was opened in 2016, the release said.