CM Naveen Patnaik approves Odisha government takeover of Talcher medical college

The decision for government takeover of the management of the hospital has come two days after the Talcher bandh called by Talcher Surakhya Samiti.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. ( File Photo)
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. ( File Photo)

BHUBANESWAR/ANGUL: The logjam over operationalisation of the Mahanadi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (MIMSAR) at Talcher has finally come to an end with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday approving in-principle the proposal of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) for State takeover of the management of the medical college.

The MCL had completed construction of the building and physical infrastructure since 2018, but the medical college and hospital has not been able to start functioning due to the tussle over management of the institution.

The issue has now been resolved with the decision that State Health and Family Welfare department will run the college and hospital while the MCL will provide the necessary funds.

The decision for government takeover of the management of the hospital has come two days after the Talcher bandh called by Talcher Surakhya Samiti. There was widespread demand by the people of Talcher for takeover of the administration of the medical college and hospital by the State government.

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) has invested Rs 492.62 crore to set up the 500-bed hospital and medical college with 100 seats. Admission to MIMSAR will be on the basis of NEET examination. The institution has been constructed on 20 acre of land provided by the State government.

The existing 125-bed hospital of the MCL will be merged with MIMSAR. This project is reported to be the largest single-location CSR project by a public sector undertaking (PSU) in the health and education sector.

The medical college and hospital will be a major step towards providing quality healthcare facilities to the people of Angul and nearby districts of Boudh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Nayagarh and Subarnapur.

The medical college will also further strengthen the efforts of the State government to improve the capacity of the medical education institutions in the State. Initially, MCL tried to operate the college and hospital through public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

However, later MCL, based on the discussion between the Union Minister of Coal Pralhad Joshi and Chief Minister, sent a proposal to the State government to take over the responsibility of operating the medical college and hospital.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hoped that both the State government and the MCL work in coordinated manner to make the medical college and hospital operational soon. He said that 70 lakh people from six districts will benefit from the hospital at Talcher.

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