Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling Monday said the government is committed to ensure that every district has one medical college.
Replying to a question by BJD legislator Pratap Keshari Deb in the Assembly, Mahaling said the BJP had promised to set up a medical college in each district of Odisha in its manifesto, and the government is committed to implement it.
“As per information available with me, around Rs 250 crore to Rs 300 crore is needed to set up a 100-seat medical college. The Union government will bear 60 per cent of the cost,” he said.
Mahaling said Central government organisations like the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) have established a medical college in Sundargarh district, while the National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO) set up a medical college at Talcher in Angul.
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Besides, another medical college at Keonjhar has been set up with funding from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF).
“I want to assure the House that we will keep the promise made in our manifesto to open new medical colleges with funding from both the Centre and state, so that every district can have at least one such institute,” the minister said.
On recruitment of doctors and paramedical personnel to fill up vacancies in different healthcare facilities, Mahaling said, “We have brought two amendments in the doctors’ recruitment rules. Very soon, we are going to start the process for recruitment of 5,000 doctors and 3,000 paramedical staff.”
PTI
