Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government on Thursday gave approval for opening a state-run nursing college in Shimla, a minister said.

"The cabinet on this Thursday evening gave consent to open a nursing school in the premises of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla. This would be the first government college in the state," Health Minister Rajeev Bindal told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

He said the nursing college would conduct M.Sc. (nursing), B.Sc. (nursing) and post-basic B.Sc. (nursing) besides one specialised course.

"The government has allocated Rs.5 crore to set up the college," the minister added. IANS