

ANGUL: BJP State secretary Kalandi Samal has urged Chief minister Naveen Patnaik to announce the date of commencement of Talcher medical college after MCL recently agreed to bear all the expenditure. In a statement on Saturday, Samal questioned the silence of local MLA and MP on this issue even as MCL has agreed to pay Rs 1,500 crore per annum for the medical college.
Crediting Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the initiation of Talcher medical college said it was Pradhan who had taken all efforts for setting up of the medical facility. MCL had then completed the building at a cost of Rs 492 cr.
He said, as per the initial agreement, MCL had agreed to construct the building and the State government was to take charge of the management. Though the government had agreed, it had gone back on its commitment and asked the MCL to run the facility as well.
As the issue sparked public resentment, the government finally agreed to adhere to the initial settlement last month. “Now that MCL too in a letter last month reiterated its commitment to incur all the expenses for the medical college, the government must make it clear about the timing of making the medical college functional,” Samal added.Meanwhile, members of the Medical College Action Committee have also urged the State government to declare the date of commencing the medical college.