Koraput: In a significant step to bolster healthcare sector in the state, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday inaugurated a new 650-bed hospital at Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital in Koraput built at a cost of Rs 280 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said concrete steps are also being taken by the government to establish four mote medical colleges in Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, and Nabarangpur districts. With this, the number of government medical colleges in the state will go up to 16. Odisha currently has 12 government medical colleges.
The CM also announced that work on the six-lane Jaipur–Berhampur–Bhubaneswar Economic Corridor will commence soon.
Stressing that all vacant healthcare positions at SLN Medical College and Hospital will be filled promptly, he said the government is committed to ensuring that the people of Koraput no longer have to travel long distances to avail medical treatment. The facility will serve not only Koraput but also the neighbouring districts of Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, as well as adjoining regions of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, offering advanced medical services under one roof.
Ensuring development along with corruption-free governance is the state’s responsibility, he said, adding that his government has prioritised qualitative improvements in education and healthcare. Long-pending vacancies in the health sector are being filled on priority.
The new hospital is equipped with modern diagnostic and treatment facilities including CT scan, dialysis, mammography, and a dedicated oxygen plant to ensure uninterrupted supply for critical patients. A separate cancer treatment hospital is also being built on two acres within the campus, with an allocation of Rs 41.15 crore.
Highlighting healthcare coverage in the state, the CM noted that Odisha has implemented the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) along with the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). Together, these schemes benefit 3.46 crore people — about 80% of the state’s population. Till date, nearly 3.91 lakh beneficiaries have received treatment worth Rs 900 crore under these programmes. Additionally, under the Ayushman Bayo Bandana Yojana, 8,644 senior citizens above 70 years of age have been provided medical benefits worth Rs 35.6 crore.
In Koraput district alone, 3,547 AB PMJAY–BSKY cards have been issued, and 9,006 beneficiaries are enrolled under Ayushman Bayo Bandana. Four private hospitals in the district have been empanelled under AB PMJAY–BSKY to provide cashless healthcare.
Majhi asserted that in just one year, the government has achieved significant progress across sectors, which will be accelerated further. “This is the people’s government,” he said, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to making Odisha prosperous by 2036 and contributing to a developed India by 2047. The government aims to usher in a new era in education, healthcare, agriculture, industry, job creation, and sustained economic growth across the state, with Koraput included in this development drive.
