Amritsar: Punjab Health Minister Brahm Mohindra today said that the process to open five new medical colleges in the state has been initiated. He said the foundation stone for one such medical college at Mohali will be laid down soon. 

 "It will be after a gap of nearly 60 years that a new government medical college will be opened in the state," the minister said while addressing a gathering of doctors and students after laying the foundation stone of state cancer institution to be built in the Medical College Amritsar. The minister also inaugurated the administrative block and state of the art auditorium of the Guru Nanak Dev hospital. 

 He said that the vacant posts of the professors in medical colleges will be filled soon. Mohindra also assured them that the scales of the professors would be revised so that they opt for government service. He announced to give a grant of Rs 70 crore for the ongoing construction work in the medical college complex. Mohindra said that the total estimated cost on the construction of state cancer institute would be Rs 115 crore.