The State Government in Tuesday announced to set up a medical college in Kalahandi district in partnership with the Vedanta group.

“I am happy to announce that the Government will set up a medical college in Kalahandi to provide access to health facility to the people of Kalahandi. This will be a Government medical college and the infrastructure will be provided by the Vedanta group,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Vedanta Resources Chairman Anil Agarwal, who met Patnaik, said, “We will set up a graduate school and a medical college. The medical college is a necessity there. Patients from these places travel to far-off locations for treatment. We have committed to facilitate the infrastructure, which might cost up to Rs100 crore. The government will run it.”

The Vedanta group chief further discussed supply of bauxite to the company’s lanjigarh alumina plant. According to reports, the State Government is likely to supply bauxite to the plant through the Odisha Mining Corporation ltd (OMC).

They further discussed the Jharsuguda aluminium park project as well. The Chief Minister assured Agarwal that the issues raised by his company would be addressed by March 2017.

Agarwal said after meeting the Chief Minister at the State Secretariat here, “Over the years, a lot of liberalisation has happened. Both State and Central Governments have started the auction process. We have waited 12-13 years. Waiting another year or two doesn’t make much of a difference. The lanjigarh plant is of 6 million tonne capacity; however, we are producing only 2 million tonnes now. The production will increase with availability of bauxite.”