Bhubaneswar: The Centre has released Rs 817 crore to the Odisha government for establishment of seven new medical colleges, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar informed Tuesday in the Rajya Sabha. Pawar was replying to a query of BJD MP Sasmit Patra. He said the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched a centrally-sponsored scheme (CSS) for establishment of new medical colleges, attached to existing district/referral hospitals. Under this scheme, seven medical colleges have been approved for Odisha with 60:40 fund sharing formula between the Centre and Odisha government.
The ministry has approved the establishment of new medical colleges at Balasore, Baripada (Mayurbhanj), Bolangir, Koraput, Puri, Jajpur and Bhawanipatna (Kalahandi). Out of the seven institutions, the admission for MBBS course has been started in four colleges while the same at Puri, Jajpur and Bhawanipatna is yet to begin, sources said.
The Centre has approved Rs 1,520 crore for the seven medical colleges, out of which the Odisha government’s share is Rs 608 crore and Centre’s will provide Rs 912 crore. Out of the Central share, the Health Ministry has so far released Rs 817 crore to Odisha, sources added.
The ministry will provide Rs 95 crore for the new medical college at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district. The approved amount for all other six medical colleges has been released by the Centre, said the minister.
An amount of Rs 189 crore has been approved for each of the medical colleges at Balasore, Baripada, Bolangir, Koraput and Puri, while Rs 250 crore has been approved for the medical college at Jajpur and Rs 325 crore for the medical college in Kalahandi district.
Further, the ministry has approved Rs 258 crore for five medical colleges in Odisha for raising the MBBS and PG seats.
An amount of Rs 120 crore has been approved for each of VSS Medical College at Burla and MKCG Medical College in Behrampur. The Centre has already released its share Rs 72 crore for the two institutions.
The Centre has approved Rs 5.40 crore, Rs 8 crore and Rs 6.30 crore for VSS Medical College at Burla, MKCG Medical College in Behrampur and SCB Medical College in Cuttack respectively for raising the PG seats. The Centre has released its share of Rs 3.59 crore, Rs 5.76 crore and Rs 4.38 crore for the medical colleges at Burla, Berhampur and Cuttack respectively, Pawar said.
Further release of funds under the scheme will depend upon the pace of expenditure and receipt of demand from the state government, she added.