Bhubaneswar, Aug. 30: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today laid the foundation stone for a medical college and hospital in Balangir.
"I am delighted to be in Balangir district today for a number of foundation stone laying ceremonies, including the medical college and hospital," said Naveen.
Congress MLA Narasingha Mishra said: "I have already requested the chief minister to set up an agriculture university in Balangir district." Mishra had earlier requested the chief minister to ensure the completion of the construction of the medical college and hospital within two years.
Mishra, along with Patnagarh MLA K.V. Singh Deo who happens to be the BJP state president, had met the chief minister at Bhubaneswar recently and urged him to take notice of the pending developmental projects in Balangir district.
"I hope the chief minister will pay attention and take steps for the development of Balangir," said Mishra.
Rajya Sabha member and former Balangir MLA A.U. Singh Deo said: "We had been demanding a medical college in Balangir district for a very long time. Now, it is finally going to come up. The entire project has an allocation of Rs 170 crore."
Balangir is one of the five centres where medical colleges will be set up with the central assistance.
The Western Odisha Development Council had taken an initiative for a medical college and hospital at Balangir in the 90s. In 1999, the then Union minister Sharad Yadav had laid the foundation stone for the project. Construction of the administrative building began and an amount of Rs 27 lakh was spent from the council fund and 25-acre land was allotted on the outskirts of Balangir town. But, the project was put to sleep in 2000.
The council had tried to take up the project in public-private partnership mode. It had signed three MoUs, but the project could not take off. Last year, the Centre included Balangir among the five medical colleges it will set up. The Centre will bear 75 per cent of the project cost, while the state government's share will be 25 per cent.
Naveen also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for various other projects in Balangir district and Titilagarh.
