Chief minister naveen patnaik lays foundation stone for the proposed government medical college and hospital in balasore. Telegraph picture Sibdas Kundu

Balasore, Oct. 28: Residents of the city will be relieved from the inconvenience of travelling nearly 170km to Cuttack to get admitted to a government hospital as chief minister Naveen Patnaik today laid a foundation stone for such a facility here.

The state government is making efforts to ensure that the proposed medical college and hospital in the city becomes functional from the 2016-2017 academic session.

Local resident Amita Baug said: “We have been demanding for a medical college and hospital for quite long. Now that the foundation stone has been laid, we are very optimistic about the project. The day is not far when a patient needs not have to travel nearly 170km to Cuttack for treatment.”

The ceremony was held near the Remuna block on a 20-acre patch, identified by the district administration for the purpose.

Addressing the gathering, Naveen said: “The admission for medical courses will start from 2016-17. Apart from the establishment of a government medical college and hospital in Balasore, the state government will spend nearly Rs 70 crore on the district headquarters hospital for its infrastructure development.”

Health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said: “The state government is taking all necessary measures to provide quality health services. The measures include filling up of the existing vacancies in the posts of doctors and other medical employees.”

“There are proposals to set up more government colleges in public-private participation in the state,” he said.

Residents of Balasore and surrounding areas have been demanding for a medical college and hospital for the past 10 years, and the area had witnessed strikes and protests in support of their demand as well. In February last, the Centre had made an announcement that medical colleges would be set up in Balasore, Balangir and Kalahandi districts. Earlier, the government had made its intention clear to set up a medical college in Baripada.

At present, the state government runs three medical colleges — SCB Medical College in Cuttack, VSS Medical College in Sambalpur and MKCG Medical College in Berhampur. Five medical colleges — Institute of Medical Science and SUM Hospital, KIIMS and Hi-Tech medical colleges in Bhubaneswar, Sardar Raja Medical College in Kalahandi and the Hi-Tech group has a medical college in Rourkela.

The proposed medical college and hospital in Balasore is worth Rs 169 crore with the state’s share being 25 per cent.

Secretary of the action committee Manoj Nayak said: “We expect the government to complete the project within the stipulated schedule. The proposed hospital will meet not only requirements of the northern region, but also those of people living in the neighbouring Bengal.”