Hyderabad, Dec. 27 -- The Centre will extend substantial financial support to the Andhra Pradesh government through the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for the construction of medical colleges and affiliated teaching hospitals under public-private-partnership (PPP) mode, Union minister for health JP Nadda said.

In a recent letter to state health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav, which was released to the media on Friday, the Union health minister indicated that under the VGF framework, funding support can go up to 80% of the project cost, along with up to 50% assistance towards operational expenditure for the first five years.

"The VGF support is to be shared equally by the Central and state governments," he clarified.

In addition, Nadd...