Bhubaneswar: Two days after Talcher bandh was observed in support of the demand for operation of the Mahanadi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday approved the proposal of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) in this regard.
Initially, MCL tried to operate the college and hospital at Talcher in Angul district through PPP mode. It had completed construction of the infrastructure for the hospital on 20 acre of land provided by the state government in 2014. But the MCL did not start its operation for the last 8 years which led Talcher Surakhsa Manch to call Talcher bandh on Tuesday.
Following conversation between the Union Minister of Coal and Chief Minister, the MCL sent a proposal to the state government to take over the responsibility for operating the medical college and hospital.
As per the proposal, the Health and Family Welfare department will run the medical college and hospital, while the MCL will provide necessary funds for the purpose. The medical college will have a capacity of 100 seats for admission of students per year while the hospital will have facilities of 500 beds.
The move will provide quality health care facilities to the people of Angul and adjacent districts. The medical college will further strengthen the efforts of the government to improve the capacity of the medical education institutions in the state.
