The much-awaited Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital was dedicated to public by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Monday.
Patnaik inaugurated the college after unveiling a statue of great Odia poet Fakir Mohan Senapati installed at entrance of the institution.
Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Odisha Health & Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena, Higher Education and Industries Minister Ananta Das and local MP Rabindra Kumar Jena were present.
With the opening of the medical college, a long-cherished dream of Baleswar and nearby areas has come true, said the CM. His Government is committed to providing quality health service to all citizens of the State, he said.
The admission for 100 MBBS seats in the medical college has already begun for the 2018-19 academic session.
Union Minister Choubey said the Central Government is taking steps to upgrade the District Headquarters Hospitals to medical colleges to provide quality health service.
He said five medical colleges were approved in Odisha at Baleswar, Baripada, Balangir, Koraput and Puri and funds of Rs 558.6 crore was released by the Central Government for the purpose.
He informed that it has been decided to establish one medical college each in Bhadrak, Jajpur and Dhenkanal. He requested the State Government to identify land for the purpose.
Choubey also requested the Chief Minister to implement the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health scheme in Odisha. He welcomed the State Government’s own Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana but said the Ayushman Bharat scheme should also be implemented in the State.
Notably, the State Government has rejected the Central Government scheme and, instead, introduced its own health scheme.