Cuttack: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone of the second campus of the SCB Medical College and Hospital here on Thursday.
Addressing a function to commemorate the 104th birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik at the Bali Jatra ground here, he said the SCB is a centre of trust and hope for patients of Odisha and its neighbouring states. “My government aims to transform it into a world-class healthcare institution and develop it into an integrated hospital with all modern healthcare facilities with a total bed strength of 3,000 at a budget of Rs 1000 crore,” he added.
Stating that Biju Babu had a close affinity with Cuttack city where he was born and brought up, the Chief Minister said the former had fought against the British rule. During the freedom struggle, he had travelled from Cuttack to Peshawar (now in Pakistan) on a bicycle. “Our family has a special relationship with Cuttack,” he pointed out.
The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to the people for reposing faith in his government for the last 20 years. “I am indebted to you for your blessings and love for which my government is in power. I seek your cooperation to make Odisha a rich and leading state in the country,” he said.
