SAMBALPUR: The Army is proposing to set up a full-fledged military hospital at Gopalpur in Ganjam district and upgrade Kalinga School in Bhubaneswar, which is up to Class V, to an Army Public School from next session. The proposal to set up six polyclinics has been agreed in principle by the Government of India and they are going to be functional shortly at Sambalpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Puri, Koraput and Ganjam districts. All veterans should get their registration done through respective station headquarters to avail of the diagnostic facilities.
Informing this to the media yesterday, Col. Naveen Jha, Staff Officer (Job) for Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar, said Indian Army has great plans for the State. Orissa will be the first state to have two Sainik Schools after opening of the Sainik School at Sambalpur for the people of Western Orissa. He said 70 acres of land has been identified for the school along the Goshal-Chiplima road and Sainik School Board will visit the place soon. This apart Sainik School, Bhubaneswar, has been given enhanced financial assistance for its upkeep and all existing scholarships have been doubled.
Col. Naveen Jha was here in connection with a recruitment rally. He was accompanied by Revenue Divisional Commissioner (ND) Jamil Ahmed Khan.
Revealing that process of identification of 700 acres of land in Jharsuguda or Sundargarh district is on for location of an Army unit keeping in view rail and air connectivity, Jha said ad hoc Station Headquarters to meet the administrative requirements of the veterans in Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Balasore and Gopalpur have been upgraded into fullfledged Station Headquarters.
A transit home in Bhubaneswar and a holiday home in Puri for serving soldiers as well as veterans are also on the cards, he added.
Maintaining that Army does not have much representation from the State, he said thrust is being given for holding additional recruitment rallies in all corners of Orissa with focus on tribal candidates. The tribal youths are not only physically tough but also mentally robust.
Having brought up in inhospitable terrains, they are the best potential force for the Army and can be termed as half-trained soldiers, Jha observed.