The Employees' State Insurance Corporation of India (ESIC) will invest about Rs 1,100 crore in upgradation of certain hospitals, besides establishing a new medical college in Odisha.
"We have taken up different projects in Odisha for upgradation of hospitals and setting up a medical college," Union Minister of State for labour and Employment K Suresh said here on Tuesday.
Stating that Odisha has above 13 lakh ESI beneficiaries, Suresh said the foundation stone of the proposed medical college will be laid here in January next, while the college would start its academic year from 2017.
"Over Rs 800 crore will be spent in the medical college project which will have a 500 bed super specialty hospital as per the guidelines of the medical council of India (MCI)," Suresh said, adding that the medical college will have proper operation theatre, OPD and other facilities.
The ESIC has already acquired 25 acres of land for the proposed medical college in the State capital and has completed its boundary wall and other preliminary works by spending about Rs 4.6 crore, the Minister said. The Minister, however, admitted that the medical college project was delayed due to dispute over selection of the venue.
Though it was initially planned to set up the medical college at Rourkela, later the plan changed and Bhubaneswar was decided to be the venue, he explained.
However, the Minister said the ESIC has decided to upgrade its 50 bedexisting hospital at Rourkela to a high-tech hospital with 100 beds.
"We have planned to invest Rs 100 crore for upgradation of thehospital at Rourkela," he said. The Minister said the ESIC has alsodecided to upgrade its hospital at Bhubaneswar with an investment ofRs 66 crore.
"The ESIC will take over the hospital at Bhubaneswar. Earlier, thoughthe ESIC was spending on infrastructure, the State used to run it," hepointed out. This apart, the Minister said the ESIC has identified
Joda in Keonjhar district, Khuntuni in Cuttack district and lanjigarhin Kalahandi district to setup health facilities.
"The State Government needs to give proposal for setting up hospitalsin three new places," he said.The ESIC, which already has a regional office in the State capital,has also decided to open a sub-regional office at Rourkela which willcater to the need of the western Odisha districts.
Replying to a question, Suresh said the enforcement officer wasregularly keeping tab on the companies which allegedly do notcontribute their share in the fund.