The Union ministry of health and family welfare has decided to set up a medical college at Puri. Earlier, the Union government had accorded its approval for setting up of four medical colleges at Balasore, Bolangir, Baripada and Koraput. The cost of establishment of a medical college is about Rs 190 crore under a Central scheme. While Centre would give 75 per cent of the cost, the state government's contribution would be 25 per cent. The Centre is upgrading the district head quarter hospitals having 200 beds into medical colleges. It plans to set up 50 such medical colleges in the country.
The state government had urged the Centre to establish four medical colleges in Balasore, Bolangir, Koraput and Baripada. However, the senior Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra had urged the Union Health minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad to upgrade the district hospital at Puri to a medical college.
