It seems that the Union Government is not in favour of setting up Odisha’s second AIIMS in Sundargarh district, for which the State Government is fighting for.
While replying to a question of Sundargarh BJP MP Jual Oram, Union Minister of State for Health Bharat Pravin Pawar indirectly turned down Odisha’s demand.
Oram asked whether the second AIIMS is proposed to be set up at Rourkela or any other place in the district; and if so, the steps taken in this regard.
Pawar replied, “The Government has plans to set up AIIMS in each State in a phased manner. As far as Odisha is concerned, AIIMS at Bhubaneswar has already been set up.”
However, meanwhile, the State Government is taking necessary steps for functioning of the proposed medical college and hospital at Sundargarh from next academic session 2022-23, State official sources said.
The college being set up with support of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) would function with 100 MBBS seats while the hospital would have 500 beds.
The State Government had signed an MoU with the NTPC in December 2013 to set up the college with a preliminary estimation of Rs 350 crore. For this, the State has provided 21 acres of land free of cost.
The State Chief Secretary in November last year wrote a letter to the Union Health Secretary for establishment of a second AIIMS of the State at the infrastructure developed by the NTPC. On March 15, 2021, State Health Minister Naba Kishor Das also requested the Union Health Minister to set up a second AIIMS at Sundargarh.
In April this year, the Union Ministry of Health had sent a team to make field verification of the proposed medical college and they expressed satisfaction. However, now it seems that Union Government is not going to consider this proposal.