Release funds for five new medical colleges: Patnaik urges PM

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure immediate release of funds for timely completion of construction of five new medical colleges in the state.

"It is requested that the revised estimate for the medical colleges be approved and the Centre's share (75 per cent) be released immediately for timely operationalisation of the institutions in the larger public interest," Patnaik wrote to Modi.

"My government on its part has made adequate budget provision for the project despite state's financial crunch," he pointed out.

Patnaik said that his letter to Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda in September 2015, requesting release of funds, yielded no result following which he wrote to the Prime Minister.

"The Centre has released Rs 55 crore only in three instalments till date. If the required funds are not released in time, I am afraid, construction of the colleges will be delayed leading to the continued shortage of doctors in the state," Patnaik said.

The revised estimate of Rs 2450.90 crore for the proposed medical colleges was submitted to the Union Health Ministry for the capital expenditure, equipment and manpower, Patnaik said adding that the response of the Ministry is awaited.

The five medical colleges are being developed by Odisha government with the project cost of Rs 189 crore each under a centrally sponsored scheme for "establishment of new medical college attached with existing district/ referral hospital".

The fund sharing pattern for the projects is 75:25 between the Centre and the State. Construction is going on in full swing which on completion will go a long way in addressing the shortage of doctors in the state.

Admission in the new medical colleges for MBBS students has been scheduled to commence from 2017-18 academic year, the Chief Minister said.