Azad launches AIIMS in city

While the Centre would bear 75% of the cost, the statewould contribute the rest 25%

Conceding to the state government's request, the Centre has decided to set up a medical college at Baripada in north Odisha. This is the fourth medical college approved by the Centre for the state in last one week. This was announced by Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union health minister here, today, while addressing the ceremony to mark the launchingof All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar.

Though the state government had earlier urged the Centre to set up four medical colleges in the state at Balasore, Bolangir,Koraput and Baripada, the latter had agreed to the proposal at the first three locations. These medical colleges would be set up by upgrading the 200-bedded district headquarter hospitals. Each new medical college would costabout Rs 190 crore.

While the Centre would bear 75 per cent of the cost, the statewould contribute the rest 25 per cent. The Centre is upgrading about 50 colleges country-wide. Azad also informed that two government run medical colleges in the state namely V S S Medical College and Hospital in Burla and M K C G Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur will be converted to super specialty hospitals with central assistance.