Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged the Centre and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for establishment of a hostel in Bhubaneswar for girls belonging to minority communities and a medical college in Bhadrak district, which has a sizeable minority community population under a Central scheme.
In a letter dated February 14, 2020, Pradhan said the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs sanctions projects under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakaram (PMJVK) only in the identified Minority Concentration Areas where there is more than 25% minority population and the area is relatively backward in socioeconomic and basic amenities parameters compared to the national average.
He urged Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to allow projects like girls’ hostel, residential schools, ITIs skill centres in locations where students belonging to minority communities migrate to in search of better facilities for education, skill, healthcare in the State capitals and other metropolitan cities.
“I request you to instruct expeditious action for making provisions to cover major cities as well as state capitals under PMJVK scheme so that infrastructure support in priority sectors such as education, health, skill, women empowerment etc, can be made available in these cities as well,” Pradhan wrote.
Moreover, in view of need for tertiary medical facilities in Bhadrak district, Pradhan has requested CM Naveen Patnaik to set up a medical college in the district under PMJVK.
In a letter to Patnaik dated Feb 17, Pradhan hasaid that having a medical college in Bhadrak would be extremely helpful in providing the required healthcare facilities for people in and around Bhadrak.
He said the PMJVK, which is implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, provides for creation of community assets and health is one of the priority sectors. The State Government may forward duly-approved proposal to the Ministry for consideration of the aforesaid requirement.
“I request you to give necessary instructions to the concerned, to send a detailed proposal for a medical college in Bhadrak district to the Ministry of Minority Affairs under the PMJVK scheme,” Pradhan stated in the letter.
The Centre bears 60% of the capital cost of the project while the remaining expenditure including manpower is provided by a State.