BHUBANESWAR: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has granted permission for admission to the newly-opened government medical colleges at Balasore and Balangir. The Ministry also approved renewal of permission for admission of the second batch of MBBS programme in Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district for 2018-19 academic year.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda informed this to his Cabinet colleague Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on May 15. In a letter to Pradhan, Nadda informed that necessary permission letters will be issued by the Ministry separately.In 2014, the Centre had approved establishment of a government medical colleges and hospital each at Balasore, Koraput, Balangir, Baripada and Puri under the Centrally sponsored scheme and establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals.
While medical colleges at Koraput and Baripada started functioning from 2017, two others - Government Medical College, Balasore and Government Medical College, Balangir - with 100 seats each are ready.
A three-member team of Medical Council of India (MCI) had inspected facilities at the Balasore and Baripada medical colleges in April and expressed satisfaction with the preparedness. The MCI had issued a letter of permission for admission in 2018-19 academic session.